Theories of Working Memory and Consolidation/RECOnsolidation in the Process of Resorption of Post-traumatic Symptoms.

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Working Memory, Consolidation/Recconsolidation Memory, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Alterning Bilateral Stimulation, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Intrusive Memories, Vividness, Emotivity

In brief

EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and, more generally, psychological distress. In all these disorders, intrusions are one of the symptoms leading to intense emotional distress. EMDR therapy, by making intrusions less emotional and less present in the mind (i.e. less vivid), would reduce psychological distress. This symptomatological reduction would be made possible by the therapist's application of alternating bilateral visual (rapid eye movements following a point from left to right), auditory (tones emitted alternately in the right ear and then in the left ear) and/or tactile (tapping with fingers on the left and right shoulders alternately) stimulations administered while the patient concentrates on his or her intrusive thoughts. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to investigate the efficacy of self-administration of Alternating Bilateral Stimulations (ABS), on the emotional intensity (emotionality) associated with negative intrusive thoughts (or intrusions).

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06469333

Run by

University of Lorraine

People needed

150

Starts

2024-09-06

Expected to finish

2026-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-11-26

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Present symptoms of acute stress (score between 22 and 35 on the Impact Event Scale-Revised, IES-R) and/or PTSD (higher score or equal to 36 on the IES-R), but at least present moderate to high psychological distress (score equal to or greater than 8 on the Kessler Abbreviated Psychological Distress Scale, K6);
• Being in need of psychotherapeutic follow-up but not having started it yet;
• Be aged between 18 and 65 years inclusive;
• Speak and write French (be able to understand information and complete questionnaires independently);
• Have good vision (being able to follow the movement of a white point on a screen);
• Have good hearing and tactile abilities (being able to perceive auditory and tactile tones);
• Have a computer equipped with a webcam;
• Be informed and sign informed consent.

You may not qualify if…

• Be an adult protected under guardianship or curatorship;
• Be a person subject to a judicial safeguard measure;
• Present a lack of autonomy implying an impossibility in terms of administering questionnaires and filling out questionnaires;
• Have a vision defect implying an impossibility of visual tracking of a white dot;
• Present a hearing defect and/or tactile abilities implying an impossibility of perception;
• Have a neurological condition constituting measurement biases (muscular dysfunctions, perceptual dysfunctions, etc.);
• Suffer from psychotraumatic and dissociative disorders of complex type (respectively evaluated with regard to the anamestistic data of the patients and with a score greater than 25 on the dissociative experiences scale (Dissociative Experiences Scale, DES);
• Do not present psychological distress (score less than 8 on the Kessler Abbreviated Psychological Distress Scale, K6) ;
• Have a drug or alcohol dependence;
• Benefit from ongoing psychotherapeutic monitoring;
• Have already benefited from psychotherapeutic follow-up or have participated in studies in the last 6 months, both involving EMDR therapy.

Where it is running

• Umr U1319 Inspiire — Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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