The treatment of night terrors associated with The posttraumatic syndrome

The author describes three cases in which the frequency and intensity of night terrors associated with the posttraumatic syndrome were greatly lessened by administration of imipramine; in one case, the night terrors disappeared completely. Possible explanationss for this effect of imipramine are discussed, including the drug's arousal-preventing action. The author believes that the study of sleep EEGs of patients suffering posttraumatic syndrome will prove fruitful.