Authors:

Rachel Nattis

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About Paper:

PTSD Patients Sleep disturbance is a common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with many patients demonstrating a pattern of more shallow and fragmented sleep as well as frequent nightmares. In veterans, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and PTSD are often linked. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in the context of chronic stress may be one mechanism underlying sleep disruption in patients with PTSD and mTBI. In the present study, we examined the relationship between diurnal cortisol levels, sleep quality, and neurobehavioral symptom presentation in veterans with PTSD and/or mTBI. We hypothesized that smaller average dynamic range in cortisol levels may be associated with greater self-reported neurobehavioral symptoms and poorer sleep quality. Analyzing data from 34 veterans demonstrated a negative correlation between PSQI/NSI scores and cortisol levels. Given that higher PSQI scores are indicative of poorer sleep quality and higher NSI scores are indicative of greater neurobehavioral symptom presentation, these findings appear consistent with current literature. A greater evening- morning cortisol difference relates to improved sleep quality and reduced neurological symptoms. 516

Source:

University of Florida / 2024

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Co-authors:

Rachel Nattis