Speed Matters

Relationship between Speed of Eye Movements and Modification of Aversive Autobiographical Memories

Bibliographic Data

ID15528385
AuthorsSuzanne C van Veen (0000-0002-5659-2557, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, corresponding author), Kevin Van Schie (0000-0003-3757-510X, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht), Leoniek D N V Wijngaards-de Meij (University of Applied Sciences Utrecht), Marianne Littel (0000-0002-3741-6005, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht), Iris M Engelhard (0009-0005-1117-932X, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht), Marcel A van den Hout (University of Applied Sciences Utrecht)
Year2015
Volume6
Pages45-45
Publication date2015-04-07
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00045
PMID25904871
PMCIDPMC4387929
OpenAlexW2083063546
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited2

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an efficacious treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. In EMDR, patients recall a distressing memory and simultaneously make eye movements (EM). Both tasks are considered to require limited working memory (WM) resources. Because this leaves fewer resources available for memory retrieval, the memory should become less vivid and less emotional during future recall. In EMDR analogue studies, a standardized procedure has been used, in which participants receive the same dual task manipulation of 1 EM cycle per second (1 Hz). From a WM perspective, the WM taxation of the dual task might be titrated to the WM taxation of the memory image. We hypothesized that highly vivid images are more affected by high WM taxation and less vivid images are more affected by low WM taxation. In study 1, 34 participants performed a reaction time task, and rated image vividness, and difficulty of retrieving an image, during five speeds of EM and no EM. Both a high WM taxing frequency (fast EM; 1.2 Hz) and a low WM taxing frequency (slow EM; 0.8 Hz) were selected. In study 2, 72 participants recalled three highly vivid aversive autobiographical memory images (n = 36) or three less vivid images (n = 36) under each of three conditions: recall + fast EM, recall + slow EM, or recall only. Multi-level modeling revealed a consistent pattern for all outcome measures: recall + fast EM led to less emotional, less vivid and more difficult to retrieve images than recall + slow EM and recall only, and the effects of recall + slow EM felt consistently in between the effects of recall + fast EM and recall only, but only differed significantly from recall + fast EM. Crucially, image vividness did not interact with condition on the decrease of emotionality over time, which was inconsistent with the prediction. Implications for understanding the mechanisms of action in memory modification and directions for future research are discussed

Audiology · Autobiographical memory · Cognitive psychology · Eye movement · Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing · Perspective (graphical · Posttraumatic stress · Recall · Task (project management · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Clinical Psychology · Computer Science · Medicine · Memory Processes and Influences · Neuroscience · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence

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