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Nightmares and Night Terrors

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Nightmares often...

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Published on: June 19, 2019

[Nightmares and psychopathology].

Giovanna Parmigiani¹, Paolo Gentili

¹BSM04 Unità Operativa Complessa di Psicoterapia, Università La Sapienza, Roma. giovannap7@libero.it

Rivista Di Psichiatria

|January 14, 2010

Summary

Nightmares are a common sleep disorder linked to psychopathology and neuroticism. Effective cognitive-behavioral treatments and potential pharmacological agents like prazosin show promise for managing nightmare distress.

Area of Science:

Sleep Medicine
Psychiatry

Context:

Nightmares are common in psychiatric and general populations, often causing distress and dysfunction.
They are the most frequent parasomnia, categorized as post-traumatic, idiopathic, or stress-induced.

Purpose:

To review studies on the relationship between nightmares and psychopathology, focusing on intensity and content.
To explore potential treatments for nightmares.

Summary:

Nightmares are associated with general psychopathology and neuroticism, with nightmare distress potentially mediating their impact.
Prepsychotic patients frequently report specific nightmare themes like body fragmentation.

Impact:

Cognitive-behavioral techniques show efficacy in treating nightmares.

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Pharmacological agents, such as prazosin, warrant further investigation in larger trials.

Increased attention to nightmares as a distinct sleep disorder requiring specific treatment is needed in clinical practice.