6 sleep and emotion regulation Flashcards
what is emotional regulation
Gross (1998) the process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express their emotions
Sleep disruption is associated with
Emotional and mental health- and optimal cognitive functioning.
= Sleep deprivation can impair cognitive performance
What stage of sleep is emotion processing associated with
During REM sleep.
Fragmentation of REM sleep may disrupt the functioning of emotional brain networks during this stage of sleep, contributing to further emotional disturbances.
what are the brain regions associated with REM sleep
Amygdala and cortical regions
Why is REM sleep associated with emotion processing
- increased activity during REM sleep.
- alterations and abnormalities in REM are associated with daytime affective states
- mood disorders have been linked to alterations in REM sleep
Emotion and sleep relationship
Bidirectional relationship.
* If we are emotionally aroused or upset then we find it harder to go to sleep.
*
Emotion and sleep relationship
Bidirectional relationship.
- If we are emotionally aroused or upset then we find it harder to go to sleep.
- but how we sleep influences emotional reactivity, recognition and memories.
Sleep and emotion regulation
Dinges et al., (1997)
Pps restricted to 4-5 hrs of sleep per night for 7 days. Base line: ppartial sleep restriction= more cognitive and emotional complaints compared to baseline and recovery.
sleep to forget sleep to remember model
Walker and Helm (2009)
Sleep helps us to encode emotional memories.
- Rem sleep enables an emotional homeostasis.
- Emotional memories dont feel as intense.
- Rem sleep activates the brain regions associated with an emotion but takes away the affective tone associated with that memory.
How does REM sleep reduce the affective tone?
during waking you form episodic emotional memories which involve coordinated activity between the hippocampus, cortical structures and amygdala.
- during REM the structures are reactivated in order to reprocess previously learnt emotional experiences.
the affective tone is reduced and the emotion involved is also reduced.
what are the function of dreams
dreams are associated with emotional regulation and presumed to serve an adaptive function.
between 75% and 9%% of dreams contain emotional contexts.
- nightmares reflect a failure to regulate out emotions- PTSD.
Sleep and emotional reactivity
Yoo et al., (2007)
26 individuals assigned to SD or control.
SD 35 hours. Viewed emotional stimulus whilst fMRI. 100 images.
Sleep and emotional reactivity
Yoo et al., (2007)
26 individuals assigned to SD or control.
SD 35 hours. Viewed emotional stimulus whilst fMRI. 100 images.
All show increased amygdala activation to negative images.
SD show 60% more.
the extent of amygdala engagement
The medial prefrontal cotex exerts an inhibitory, top down control of the amygdala.
in SD the MPFC and amygdala become cdisconnected. Resulting in overactive emotions.
Sleep and emotion recognition
Gujar et al (2011) pps looked at expression fear, sad, anger and happy.
- no nap : much more sensitive to negative: fear and anger.
- 90 min nap with REM: happy.
- 90 min nap with no REM: no significant changes.
sleep and mental health
90% of patients with depression report problems with their sleep
THe cycle of depression
sleep in depressed people
Steiger and Kinura (2010)
decreased SWS, decreased REM latency, , increased REM densitiy (frequency of eye movements per unit of time), increased tim in REM
Effect of antidepressants on REM sleep:
MArtinez- Gonzalez et al., (2002): co-morbidity of insomnia.
The time taken to get into REMdecreases.
Time in REM also decreases.
Neural basis of REM sleep
Serotonergic activity is high during wakefulness, decreased during NREM and silent during REM.
- REM regulated by the reciprocal inhbition of REM- on and REM off neurons
REM on neurons
cholinergic neurons in the lateral pons, neurns located in the medial pontine reticular formation.
During REM there is increased cholinergic activity in these regions. Whereas the termination of REM causes great reduction in activity.
REM off neurons
neurons located in serotonergic and noradrenergic systems.
Medial raphe nucleus (5HT neurons).
Locus coeruleus
highly active during waking reduce activity during SWS and sig decrease during initiation and onset of REM
Why depressed?
depression associated with low levels of serotonin and noradrenaline- therefore: cant switch REM off as these are required.
Rem on and Off cycle
oscillate in a rhythmic fashion inducing sleep, dreaming and waking.
THe REM off neurons ceease to fire, the REM on neurons become highly active until a REM episode is produces.
However as REM on neuron activity decreases REM off activity increases. THus setting into motion a continous 90 min cycle of REM.
REM deprivation in a healthy person
Impairs emotional regulation
REM deprivation in individual with depression
could improve emotional functioning
why is there a link with mental illness
sleep disruption and mental illness share common and overlapping brain pathways.
Sleep disruption may exacerbate the mental illness and mental illness may exacerbate the sleep disruption.
