Talking Point – Wednesday 31st July 2024, 1pm – 2pm

The role of sleep in the development, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD, presented by Prof Sean Drummond

Sleep and PTSD have a bidirectional relationship. In recent years, it has become clear the influence of sleep on PTSD is strong and multi-faceted. For example, having insomnia at baseline increases the risk of developing PTSD after trauma exposure 2.5-3-fold and the emergence of sleep problem immediately post-trauma also increases the risk of developing PTSD. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests sleep problems diminish the benefit from evidence-based PTSD interventions. This talk will cover some of the experimental evidence examining the potential mechanisms underlying sleep’s influence on PTSD. I will also present data from a clinical trial examining whether specifically treating sleep in PTSD can improve overall clinical outcomes.

Objectives:

· Understand the influence of sleep on the maintenance, development, and treatment of PTSD

· Provide insight into some of the mechanisms linking sleep to PTSD

· Understand the potential benefits of treating sleep in the context of PTSD

Prof Drummond is a Professor of Clinical Neuroscience and Director of Research Programs and Infrastructure in the School of Psychological Sciences at Monash University. He is also a Past President of the Sleep Research Society. There are 3 related arms to Prof Drummond’s program of research: 1) Cognitive neuroscience of sleep and sleep deprivation; 2) Behavioural interventions for insomnia; and 3) Translational studies examining the mechanistic role of sleep in psychopathology, especially PTSD.

Date: Wednesday 31st July 2024

Venue: Online

Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEST

Cost: Free

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