Bilateral Eye Movements and EEG Coherence During Negative Memories: Implications for PTSD and EMDR

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Yaggie ◽  
Larry C. Stevens ◽  
Seth Miller ◽  
Angela Abbott ◽  
Melissa Scott
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eeg Coherence ◽  
Negative Memories

Bilateral Eye Movements and EEG Coherence During Positive Memories: Implications for PTSD and EMDR

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Keller ◽  
Larry C. Stevens ◽  
Kateryna Boyce ◽  
Colleen Lui ◽  
James Murray
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eeg Coherence ◽  
Positive Memories

scholarly journals The Role of Eye-Movements in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Eye-Movements Lower the Number of Intrusive Thoughts of Negative Memories

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Gauranga Jeram Patel
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Intrusive Thoughts ◽  
Central Executive ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Direction Of Movement ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Negative Memories

<p>Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and involves the patient thinking about a traumatic event while simultaneously moving their eyes from side to side. Despite substantial support for the efficacy of EMDR questions remain regarding how eye-movements contribute to therapy. One explanation is that eye-movements tax a part of working memory known as the central executive; however, the exact mechanism involved is still unclear. Previous eye-movement research has focussed on self-ratings of vividness and emotionality of negative memories as the primary outcome measures. The focus of the current research was to examine the effect of eye-movements on the suppression of negative autobiographical memories in addition to vividness and emotionality. Non-clinical participants were asked to recall negative autobiographical memories and then verbally reported ratings of vividness and emotionality. In the eye-movement conditions, which varied by speed and direction of movement, eye-movements were stimulated using dots on a computer screen. Participants were then asked to avoid thinking of their memories, and intrusive thoughts were measured by pressing a computer key. Six experiments found that, overall, the effect of eye-movements on self-ratings was inconsistent, but that eye-movements reliably improved suppression of negative autobiographical memories. The findings also support the central executive explanation for the effectiveness of eye-movements in EMDR.</p>

scholarly journals The Role of Eye-Movements in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Eye-Movements Lower the Number of Intrusive Thoughts of Negative Memories

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Gauranga Jeram Patel
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Intrusive Thoughts ◽  
Central Executive ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Direction Of Movement ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Negative Memories

<p>Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and involves the patient thinking about a traumatic event while simultaneously moving their eyes from side to side. Despite substantial support for the efficacy of EMDR questions remain regarding how eye-movements contribute to therapy. One explanation is that eye-movements tax a part of working memory known as the central executive; however, the exact mechanism involved is still unclear. Previous eye-movement research has focussed on self-ratings of vividness and emotionality of negative memories as the primary outcome measures. The focus of the current research was to examine the effect of eye-movements on the suppression of negative autobiographical memories in addition to vividness and emotionality. Non-clinical participants were asked to recall negative autobiographical memories and then verbally reported ratings of vividness and emotionality. In the eye-movement conditions, which varied by speed and direction of movement, eye-movements were stimulated using dots on a computer screen. Participants were then asked to avoid thinking of their memories, and intrusive thoughts were measured by pressing a computer key. Six experiments found that, overall, the effect of eye-movements on self-ratings was inconsistent, but that eye-movements reliably improved suppression of negative autobiographical memories. The findings also support the central executive explanation for the effectiveness of eye-movements in EMDR.</p>

A Working Memory Explanation for the Effects of Eye Movements in EMDR

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 247-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Maxfield ◽  
William T. Melnyk ◽  
Gordon C. A. Hayman
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Eye Movements ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Attention Tasks ◽  
Memory Resources ◽  
Negative Memories

Research has consistently demonstrated that performance is degraded when participants engage in two simultaneous tasks that require the same working memory resources. This study tested predictions from working memory theory to investigate the effects of eye movement (EM) on the components of autobiographical memory. In two experiments, 24 and 36 participants, respectively, focused on negative memories while engaging in three dual-attention EM tasks of increasing complexity. Compared to No-EM, Slow-EM and Fast-EM produced significantly decreased ratings of image vividness, thought clarity, and emotional intensity, and the more difficult Fast-EM resulted in larger decreases than did Slow-EM. The effects on emotional intensity were not consistent, with some preliminary evidence that a focus on memory-related thought might maintain emotional intensity during simple dual-attention tasks (Slow-EM, No-EM). The findings of our experiments support a working memory explanation for the effects of EM dual-attention tasks on autobiographical memory. Implications for understanding the mechanisms of action in EMDR are discussed.

The Role of Eye Movements in EMDR: Conducting Eye Movements While Concentrating on Negative Autobiographical Memories Results in Fewer Intrusions

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gauranga Jeram Patel ◽  
John McDowall
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Central Executive ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Capacity Limitations ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Executive Mechanism ◽  
Negative Memories ◽  
Emdr Therapy

In dismantling eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, researchers have found that the central executive is likely responsible for the effect of eye movements on negative memories. Arguably, however, researchers have not satisfactorily explained central executive mechanisms responsible. One possible central executive mechanism is that of suppression. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of eye movements on vividness, emotionality, and suppression of memories. Thirty-one nonclinical participants in Experiment 1 completed fast- and no-eye-movement conditions. Thirty-three nonclinical participants in Experiment 2 completed fast-, slow-, and no-eye-movement conditions. Number of intrusions during a suppression period and self-ratings of vividness and emotionality were the dependent variables in both experiments. Experiment 2 also included a measure of central executive capacity. Results from both experiments supported the hypotheses and showed that fast eye movements resulted in fewer intrusions than no- and slow-eye-movement conditions. Experiment 2 also found a correlation between number of intrusions after fast eye movements and central executive capacity. Limitations of this research are discussed as well as possibilities for future research and implications for understanding EMDR therapy.

Emotionality of Loss-Related Memories Is Reduced After Recall Plus Eye Movements But Not After Recall Plus Music or Recall Only

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hellen K. Hornsveld ◽  
Frieda Landwehr ◽  
Willeke Stein ◽  
Margaretha P. H. Stomp ◽  
Monique A. M. Smeets ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Stimulus Condition ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Treatment Intervention ◽  
Loss And Grief ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Negative Memories

Numerous studies have shown that eye movements during recall of negative memories reduce their emotionality. We investigated whether these findings can be extended specifically to negative memories of loss. Sixty undergraduate students participated and recalled a negative autobiographical memory of loss and performed—in counterbalanced order—three types of tasks: recall-plus-eye-movements, recall-only, and recall-plus-relaxing-music. Recall-plus-music was added to investigate whether reductions in emotionality are associated with relaxation. Levels of emotionality, relaxation, and concentration were assessed before and after each stimulus condition. Participants reported a greater decline in emotionality and concentration after eye movements in comparison to recall-only and recall-with-music. It is concluded that eye movements are effective when negative memories pertain to loss and grief, suggesting possibilities for treatment intervention in individuals suffering from complicated grief.

Effect of Bilateral Eye Movements on Frontal Interhemispheric Gamma EEG Coherence

2007 ◽  
Vol 195 (9) ◽  
pp. 785-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Propper ◽  
Jenna Pierce ◽  
Mark W. Geisler ◽  
Stephen D. Christman ◽  
Nathan Bellorado
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eeg Coherence

The Effects of Bilateral Eye Movements on EEG Coherence When Recalling a Pleasant Memory

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Keller ◽  
Larry Stevens ◽  
Colleen Lui ◽  
James Murray ◽  
Matthew Yaggie
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Functional Significance ◽  
Emotional Memory ◽  
Eeg Coherence ◽  
Processing Stage ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Interhemispheric Coherence ◽  
Coherence Effects ◽  
The Right

In an investigation of the interhemispheric coherence (IhC) model for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) bilateral eye movement (BEM) effects, 30 participants were exposed to a stationary dot, a blinking red/green dot, or saccadic BEMs during the contemplation of a positive emotional memory. Electroencephalographies (EEGs) were measured afterward during an eyes-closed processing stage. Analyses revealed no significant IhC enhancement for the BEM condition but significant increases in Delta and Low Beta EEG intrahemispheric BEM coherence in the right and left frontal areas, respectively, and a trend increase in Right Frontal Low Beta BEM coherence. LORETA neuroimaging was employed to visually present significant amplitude changes corresponding to observed coherence effects. The functional significance of these intrahemispheric coherence effects is presented and a cortical coherence extension of the IhC model is suggested.

The effect of clause wrap-up on eye movements during reading

2000 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 1061-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Rayner ◽  
Gretchen Kambe ◽  
Susan A. Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Eye Movements During Reading
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document