Arousal Activation in REM Sleep May Explain PTSD Nightmares

Another area for further investigation is the observed hypermetabolism of brain regions in the reward system among patients with PTSD, according to Dr. Germain. “PTSD is highly comorbid with addictive disorders, such as alcohol or substance abuse and dependence,” she noted. “This comorbidity may actually arise from an overlap in the systems that are involved in fear response and reward processing. And we’re planning to do some studies to probe his hypothesis.”