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Scarpelli S, Alfonsi V, De Gennaro L, Gorgoni M. Dreaming for two: A systematic review of mental sleep activity during pregnancy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105763. [PMID: 38852848 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Changes in sleep and dreams are often observed during pregnancy. Dreaming may represent privileged access to the inner world of individuals, providing relevant information about their well-being. For this reason, a growing but heterogeneous literature has investigated dream experiences of pregnant women. The present paper aimed to systematically review the available evidence on the relationship between pregnancy and oneric activity, focusing on dream and nightmare frequency, dream contents, and emotional features. Moreover, dream changes between pre-partum and post-partum periods and the impact of previous pregnancy-related adverse events on dreaming have been summarized. Overall, 17 studies have been examined. The reviewed evidence suggests that women tend to have an abundant production of dreams and nightmares during pregnancy, and some results support the view that a high rate of dream recall is associated with poor sleep quality. Most studies have shown a high presence of pregnancy-related dream content, likely reflecting waking experiences and concerns. Additionally, dreaming may promote psychological preparation and activation of functional coping strategies to face life changes after childbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Balch J, Raider R, Keith J, Reed C, Grafman J, McNamara P. Sleep and dream disturbances associated with dissociative experiences. Conscious Cogn 2024; 122:103708. [PMID: 38821030 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Some dissociative experiences may be related, in part, to REM intrusion into waking consciousness. If so, some aspects of dream content may be associated with daytime dissociative experiences. We tested the hypothesis that some types of dream content would predict daytime dissociative symptomology. As part of a longitudinal study of the impact of dreams on everyday behavior we administered a battery of survey instruments to 219 volunteers. Assessments included the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), along with other measures known to be related to either REM intrusion effects or dissociative experiences. We also collected dream reports and sleep measures across a two-week period from a subgroup of the individuals in the baseline group. Of this subgroup we analyzed two different subsamples; 24 individuals with dream recall for at least half the nights in the two-week period; and 30 individuals who wore the DREEM Headband which captured measures of sleep architecture. In addition to using multiple regression analyses to quantify associations between DES and REM intrusion and dream content variables we used a split half procedure to create high vs low DES groups and then compared groups across all measures. Participants in the high DES group evidenced significantly greater nightmare distress scores, REM Behavior Disorder scores, paranormal beliefs, lucid dreams, and sleep onset times. Validated measures of dreamed first person perspective and overall dream coherence in a time series significantly predicted overall DES score accounting for 26% of the variance in dissociation. Dream phenomenology and coherence of the dreamed self significantly predicts dissociative symptomology as an individual trait. REM intrusion may be one source of dissociative experiences. Attempts to ameliorate dissociative symptoms or to treat nightmare distress should consider the stability of dream content as a viable indicator of dissociative tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Balch
- Department of Psychology, National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, United States; Center for Mind and Culture, 566 Commonwealth Ave., Suite M-2, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
| | - Rachel Raider
- Department of Psychology, National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, United States
| | - Joni Keith
- Department of Psychology, National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, United States
| | - Chanel Reed
- Department of Psychology, National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, United States
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Think and Speak Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 355 E Erie St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States; Feinberg School of Medicine & Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, 420 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Patrick McNamara
- Department of Psychology, National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego, CA 92123, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA 02118, United States
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Loukola V, Tuominen J, Kirsilä S, Kyyhkynen A, Lahdenperä M, Parkkali L, Ranta E, Malinen E, Vanhanen S, Välimaa K, Olkoniemi H, Revonsuo A, Valli K. Viral simulations in dreams: The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on threatening dream content in a Finnish sample of diary dreams. Conscious Cogn 2024; 119:103651. [PMID: 38335898 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Previous research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected dreaming negatively. We compared 1132 dreams collected with prospective two-week dream diary during the pandemic to 166 dreams collected before the pandemic. We hypothesized that the pandemic would increase the number of threatening events, threats related to diseases, and the severity of threats. We also hypothesized that dreams that include direct references to the pandemic will include more threatening events, more disease-related threats, and more severe threats. In contradiction with our hypotheses, results showed no differences between pandemic and pre-pandemic samples in the number of threats, threats related to diseases, or severe threats. However, dreams with direct references to the pandemic had more threats, disease-related threats, and severe threats. Our results thus do not suggest a significant overall increase in nightmarish or threatening dream content during the pandemic but show a more profound effect on a minority of dreams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Loukola
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Jarno Tuominen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Santeri Kirsilä
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Annimaaria Kyyhkynen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Maron Lahdenperä
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lilja Parkkali
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Emilia Ranta
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Eveliina Malinen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Sanni Vanhanen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Katariina Välimaa
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Henri Olkoniemi
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti Revonsuo
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Katja Valli
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
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Peléšková Š, Polák J, Janovcová M, Chomik A, Sedláčková K, Frynta D, Landová E. Human emotional evaluation of ancestral and modern threats: fear, disgust, and anger. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1321053. [PMID: 38239483 PMCID: PMC10794497 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1321053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Animal and human ancestors developed complex physiological and behavioral response systems to cope with two types of threats: immediate physical harm from predators or conspecifics, triggering fear, and the risk of infections from parasites and pathogens leading to the evolution of the behavioral immune system with disgust as the key emotion. Integration of the evolutionary concepts of the fear module and behavioral immune systems has been infrequent, despite the significant survival advantages of disgust in various contexts. Studies comparing attention to ancestral and modern threats accompanied by fear have yielded ambiguous results and what qualifies as salient modern disgusting stimuli remains unclear. We do not know whether disgust or the behavioral immune system, as inherent aspects of human psychology, have adapted to safeguard us from pandemic risks or poisoning by modern toxic substances. Methods To test these effects, we have developed a survey comprised of 60 short vignettes describing threats evoking fear and disgust belonging to one of the three main categories of threats: (1) ancestral (phylogenetic), (2) modern (ontogenetic), and (3) pandemics of airborne disease. Each vignette was evaluated on a 7-point Likert scale based on fear, disgust, and anger. In total, 660 respondents completed the survey. The data were analysed using a factor analysis and general linear model with the respondent as a random factor. Results The results show that the strongest fear is triggered by modern threats (electricity, car accidents), while the highest disgust is evoked by ancient threats (body waste products, worms, etc.). Interestingly, disgust does not respond to modern threat stimuli such as toxic substances or radioactivity as these evoke mainly fear and anger. Finally, a distinct response pattern was found for pandemic threats, in which both fear (e.g., of disease and death) and disgust (e.g., of used face masks) are employed. Discussion Our study offers valuable insights into the emotional responses to ancestral and modern threats and their adaptation to pandemic challenges. Ancestral threats are not always more powerful stimuli than adequate threats of the modern type, but they function specifically. Thus, snakes and heights as fear-inducing ancestral threats form separate factors in a multivariate analysis, whereas all ancestral disgust stimuli group together. The threat of a pandemic forms a specific category and people process it emotionally and cognitively. These insights contribute to our understanding of human psychology and behavior in an ever-changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šárka Peléšková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jakub Polák
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Economy and Management, Ambis University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Markéta Janovcová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Aleksandra Chomik
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | | | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Eva Landová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia
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Caycho-Rodríguez T, Rivera-Calcina R, Vilca LW, Carbajal-León C, Valencia PD, Yupanqui-Lorenzo DE, Arias Gallegos WL, Reyes-Bossio M, Oré-Kovacs N, Rojas-Jara C, Gallegos M, Polanco-Carrasco R, Cervigni M, Martino P, Lobos-Rivera ME, Moreta-Herrera R, Palacios Segura DA, Samaniego-Pinho A, Figares AB, Puerta-Cortés DX, Camargo A, Torales J, Monge Blanco JA, González P, Smith-Castro V, Petzold-Rodriguez O, Calderón R, Matute Rivera WY, Ferrufino-Borja D, Muñoz-Del-Carpio-Toia A, Palacios J, Burgos-Videla C, Eduviges Florez León AM, Vergara I, Vega D, Noe-Grijalva M, Shulmeyer MK, Urrutia Rios HT, Lira Lira AE, Lee SA. Assessment of Obsessive Thoughts About COVID-19 in 7 Latin American Countries: Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Obsession With COVID-19 Scale. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2023:302228231210148. [PMID: 37883293 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231210148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) among seven Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Although the OCS has been used in several countries and languages, there is a need for approaches that better integrate the cross-cultural equivalence of the scale. A total of 3185 people participated in the study. The results indicated the presence of a unidimensional structure and good reliability indices for the OCS in each country. The alignment method indicated that the OCS is an invariant measure of COVID-19 obsession among the populations of seven Latin American countries. The findings based on IRT analysis indicated that all OCS items had adequate discrimination and difficulty parameters. The findings contribute to the understanding of the internal structure of the scale in different countries at the same time, something that has been pending evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lindsey W Vilca
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Pablo D Valencia
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Tlanepantla de Baz, State of Mexico, Mexico
| | | | | | - Mario Reyes-Bossio
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | - Nicol Oré-Kovacs
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | - Claudio Rojas-Jara
- Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud. Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Miguel Gallegos
- Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud. Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca, Chile
- Programa de Pós-graduação Em Psicologia. Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de La Salud y Del Comportamiento. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | | | - Mauricio Cervigni
- Centro de Investigación en Neurociencias de Rosario, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
| | - Pablo Martino
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Ciencias Del Comportamiento (LICIC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Argentina
| | - Marlon Elías Lobos-Rivera
- Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
| | | | | | - Antonio Samaniego-Pinho
- Carrera de Psicología, Facultad de Filosofía, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | | | | | - Andrés Camargo
- School of Health and Sport Sciences, Fundación Universitaria Del Área Andina, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Julio Torales
- Departamento de Psiquiatría, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | | | - Pedronel González
- Universidad Jesús de Nazareth, Honduras
- Asociación Hondueña de Intervención en Crisis y Salud Mental, Honduras
| | - Vanessa Smith-Castro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | | | - Raymundo Calderón
- Colegio Estatal de Psicólogos en Intervención de Jalisco A.C. Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | | | - Daniela Ferrufino-Borja
- Centro de Investigación y Asesoramiento Psicológico, Facultad de Humanidades, Comunicación y Artes, Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Agueda Muñoz-Del-Carpio-Toia
- Vicerrectorado de investigación, Escuela de Postgrado, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Jorge Palacios
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Del Valle de México, Querétaro, México
| | - Carmen Burgos-Videla
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Sociales y Educación, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó, Chile
| | | | - Ibeth Vergara
- Asociación Panameña de Psicólogos, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Latina de Panamá, Panamá
| | - Diego Vega
- Escuela de Psicologia, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Marion K Shulmeyer
- Centro de Investigación y Asesoramiento Psicológico, Facultad de Humanidades, Comunicación y Artes, Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | | | | | - Sherman A Lee
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, USA
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Koppehele-Gossel J, Weinmann LM, Klimke A, Windmann S, Voss U. Dreaming during a pandemic: Low incorporation of COVID-19-specific themes and lucidity in dreams of psychiatric patients and healthy controls. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2023; 23:100364. [PMID: 36589551 PMCID: PMC9790876 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2022.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emotional quality of dreams, the incorporation of pandemic-related themes, and the occurrence of lucid dreaming. Dream reports and lucidity ratings of psychiatric outpatients (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 81) during two lockdowns in Germany were compared to those of healthy controls (n = 33) before the pandemic. Results confirmed previous reports that pandemic-specific themes were incorporated into dreams. Overall, however, incorporation into dreams was rare. Contrary to expectations, psychiatric outpatients did not differ from controls in the frequency of dream incorporation of pandemic-related content. Moreover, incorporation was independent of psychiatric symptoms and loneliness. Loneliness was, however, associated with threat-related content, suggesting that it represents a risk for bad dreams but not for crisis-specific dream incorporation. Regarding lucid dreaming, both groups had similar scores for its underlying core dimensions, i.e., insight, control, and dissociation, during the two lockdowns. Scores for control and dissociation but not insight were lower compared to the pre-pandemic sample. Our working hypothesis is that REM sleep during lockdowns intensified as a means of increased emotional consolidation, rendering the associated mental state less hybrid and thereby less lucid.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena-Marie Weinmann
- Department of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Building PEG, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6, Frankfurt/Main 60629, Germany
| | - Ansgar Klimke
- Department of Clinical Sleep Research, VITOS Hochtaunus Klinik, Friedrichsdorf, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Duesseldorf University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Sabine Windmann
- Department of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Building PEG, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6, Frankfurt/Main 60629, Germany
| | - Ursula Voss
- Department of Clinical Sleep Research, VITOS Hochtaunus Klinik, Friedrichsdorf, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Building PEG, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6, Frankfurt/Main 60629, Germany
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Margherita G, Caffieri A. An observatory on changes in dreaming during a pandemic: a living systematic review (part 1). J Sleep Res 2023; 32:e13742. [PMID: 36320190 PMCID: PMC9877779 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
A 'new' way of dreaming has emerged during the pandemic, enhancing the interest of psychological literature. Indeed, during the years of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many studies have investigated dream-related phenomena and dreaming functions. Considering the constant and rapid emergence of new results on this topic, the main aim of this study was to create an 'observatory' on the short- and long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on dreaming, by means of a living systematic review. The baseline results are presented, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guidelines, to identify and discuss existing studies about dreams and dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic published until February 2022. Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, and PubMed were used for the search strategy, yielding 71 eligible papers included in the review. Our results show: (a) a more intense oneiric activity during lockdown; (b) changes in dreaming components (especially dream-recall and nightmare frequency); (c) a particular dreaming scenario ('pandemic dreams'); (d) an alteration of the dreaming-waking-life continuum and a specific function of dreaming as emotional regulator. Findings suggest that monitoring changes in dreaming provides important information about psychological health and could also contribute to the debate on the difficulties of dreaming, as well as sleeping, in particular during and after a period of 'collective trauma'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Margherita
- Department of Humanistic StudiesUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Alessia Caffieri
- Department of Humanistic StudiesUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
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Wießner I, Falchi M, Daldegan-Bueno D, Palhano-Fontes F, Olivieri R, Feilding A, B Araujo D, Ribeiro S, Bezerra Mota N, Tófoli LF. LSD and language: Decreased structural connectivity, increased semantic similarity, changed vocabulary in healthy individuals. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 68:89-104. [PMID: 36669231 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Language has been explored as a window into the mind. Psychedelics, known to affect perception and cognition, seem to change language, but a systematic, time-dependent exploration is lacking. Therefore, we aimed at mapping the psychedelic effects on language over the time course of the acute and sub-acute effects in an explorative manner. For this, 24 healthy volunteers (age [mean±SD, range]: 35±11, 25-61 years; 33% women) received 50 μg lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or inactive placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. We assessed different language productions (experience reporting, storytelling), components (structure, semantics, vocabulary) and time points (+0 h to +24 h). Language productions included 5-min experience reporting (+1.5 h, +6.5 h) and 1-min storytelling (+0 h, +2 h, +4 h, +6 h, +24 h). Language structure was assessed by computing speech topology (SpeechGraphs), semantics by semantic distances (FastText), vocabulary by word categories (LIWC). LSD, compared to placebo, changed language structure, including decreased verbosity, lexicon, global and local connectivity (+1.5 h to +4 h); decreased semantic distances between neighbouring words and overall words (+2 h to +24 h); and changed vocabulary related to grammar, persons, time, space and biological processes (+1.5 h to +24 h). In conclusion, low to moderate LSD doses changed language over diverse production types, components and time points. While simpler and disconnected structure and semantic similarity might reflect cognitive impairments, changed vocabulary might reflect subjective perceptions. Therefore, language under LSD might provide a window into the psychedelic mind and automated language quantifications should be better explored as valuable tools to yield more unconstrained insights into psychedelic perception and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Wießner
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-887, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Lagoa Nova, 59078-900, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Falchi
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-887, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Lagoa Nova, 59078-900, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-887, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fernanda Palhano-Fontes
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Lagoa Nova, 59078-900, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Olivieri
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-887, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Feilding
- The Beckley Foundation, Beckley Park, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Draulio B Araujo
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Lagoa Nova, 59078-900, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Lagoa Nova, 59078-900, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Natália Bezerra Mota
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luís Fernando Tófoli
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-887, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Geller S, Van den Brink G, Akerman Y, Levy S, Shazar T, Goldzweig G. Dreams Shared on Social Networks during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tower of Babel or Noah's Ark?-A Group-Analytic Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3534. [PMID: 36834229 PMCID: PMC9959154 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Dream sharing is a universal practice, and various incentives have been identified, including emotional processing, emotional relief, and demands for containment. Shared dreams can contribute to an individual's understanding of social reality during traumatic and stressful events. The present study examined dreams shared on social network sites (SNS) during the first COVID-19 lockdown, applying a group-analytic approach. A qualitative dream content analysis conducted by a group of researchers analyzed 30 dreams shared on SNS, focusing on their contents, dominant emotions, and unique group processes. The dream content analysis yielded three meaningful and coherent themes: (1) dominant threats: enemy, danger, and COVID-19; (2) emotional fusion: confusion and despair alongside recovery and hope; and (3) group processes characterized by movement between being alone and being together. The results deepen our understanding of both unique social and psychological group processes and of people's main experiences and key psychological coping mechanisms in times of collective trauma and natural disasters. They also demonstrate the transformative potential of dreamtelling for individuals' coping experiences and building hope through the creative social relationships formed within SNS groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulamit Geller
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
| | - Gal Van den Brink
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
| | - Yehoshua Akerman
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
| | - Sigal Levy
- Statistical Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
| | - Tuli Shazar
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
| | - Gil Goldzweig
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel
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10
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Abbas NH, Samson DR. Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: Support for the threat simulation function of dreams. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1124772. [PMID: 36814654 PMCID: PMC9939895 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1124772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary theories suggest that dreams function as a world simulator of events that maximizes our ability to surmount social and threat-related challenges critical to survivorship and reproduction. Here, in contrast to the incorporation continuity hypothesis, we test the (1) social bias hypothesis, which states that dreams will overrepresent positive social interactions relative to waking life, (2) the mutually exclusive threat bias hypothesis, the idea that dream content will be negative relative to waking life, (3) the strengthening hypothesis, which states that dreams will rehearse more positive interactions with individuals the self is familiar with relative to waking life, and (4) the compensation hypothesis, which states that social contents in dreams increases during periods of social seclusion. Dream (n = 168) and wake (n = 184) reports were collected through a standardized online survey from 24 undergraduate students. Recalls were analyzed using the Social Content Scale. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used, and the following fixed-effects were considered for the study; the number of reports contributed, report state, biological sex, stress, social support, and media exposures. Results showed support for the threat bias hypothesis, we found that dreams were more negative and featured more unfamiliar individuals in contrast to waking life. Additionally, we found partial support for the social bias and the strengthening hypotheses, however no support was shown for the compensation hypothesis. Overall, these results demonstrate support for the threat simulation function of dreams.
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11
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Yuan L, Wang M. The emotion bias of health product consumers in the context of COVID-19. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278219. [PMID: 36441738 PMCID: PMC9704658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 has led to an increase in negative emotions and health awareness among consumers. This paper discusses the emotion bias of Chinese consumers during the three periods: the pre-COVID-19 period, the COVID-19 lockdown period, and the COVID-19 normalization period. This study takes health products as the research object and crawls relevant reviews on the JD platform to classify products. The data were classified into emotion, the intensity of emotion was calculated, and the logistic regression model and variance analysis were used to analyze the difference in emotion expression. The study reveals that consumers are willing to express fear and sadness during the COVID-19 lockdown era and are willing to express like emotions before the pandemic compared to the three periods. There are also differences in the emotional intensity of different product reviews. The intensity of emotional expression is more vigorous for consumers who purchase nutritional products, while for those who purchase healthcare equipment, the intensity of emotional expression is lower. This study offers the emotion bias of consumers in response to COVID-19 to provide a theoretical basis and reference solution for implementing marketing strategies for health product companies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Yuan
- School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Songjiang, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyan Wang
- School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Songjiang, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail:
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12
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CampBell T, Hurwitz A, Bartel R, Rose R, Dean J, Markle T. COVID-19 nightmare response and stress: A new Mexico sample based survey. Sleep Med 2022; 99:23-29. [PMID: 35930935 PMCID: PMC9296252 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Studies conducted during the COVID-19 Pandemic have reported increased rates of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [1]. A common symptom of mental illness is change in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the phase of sleep associated with dreaming and nightmares. The COVID-19 pandemic offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of systemic stress on nightmares. In this study, we investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects nightmare frequency and content using a web-based survey within the state of New Mexico. The survey returned 197 responses showing an increase in the quantity of both bad dreams and nightmares. Furthermore, significant changes in nightmare themes were reported compared to relative rates prior to the pandemic (RR 1,42, p < 0.01; RR 5, p < 0.001). This novel data supports that increased stress from the COVID-19 pandemic has altered dream and nightmare content and frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim CampBell
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA
| | - Ariel Hurwitz
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA
| | - Robyn Bartel
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA
| | - Rachel Rose
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA
| | - Jeremy Dean
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA
| | - Tom Markle
- University of New Mexico, 1 University Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, 87110, USA.
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13
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Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104710. [PMID: 35643121 PMCID: PMC9132492 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
According to several influential models, dreams can be affected by state- and trait-like factors, sleep features, and diurnal experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic globally affected daily habits, emotional experiences, and sleep. Previous studies suggested an influence of collective traumatic events on dreaming. Starting from these premises, several studies assessed the effect of the pandemic on dreams. This paper aims to review findings concerning the oneiric activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report pandemic-related changes in dreams and nightmares, and we consider the possible factors associated with dreaming. Moreover, we provide results about changes in the oneiric activity in different phases of the pandemic. The reviewed findings suggest a pandemic-related enhancement of dream and nightmare frequency, emotional intensity, and distressing contents, modulated by modifications in restrictive measures and associated with diurnal experiences, emotional status, and sleep pattern. We highlight several methodological issues and a large heterogeneity in the present literature, limiting results’ generalizability. However, we provide possible interpretations of the most consistent findings in light of the main theoretical frameworks about dreaming.
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14
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Meaklim H, Burge M, Le F, Bains SK, Saunders W, Ghosh S, Junge MF, Varma P, Rehm IC, Jackson ML. Strange themes in pandemic dreams: Insomnia was associated with more negative, anxious and death-related dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Sleep Res 2022; 32:e13655. [PMID: 35699296 PMCID: PMC9350044 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Dreaming and insomnia are important markers of distress in times of crisis. Here, we present a longitudinal, mixed-methods study examining changes in dreaming between individuals with and without insomnia symptoms and their relationship to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. A global survey examining insomnia symptoms, dreams and mental health was launched in April 2020 and followed participants over 12 months. Of 2240 participants, 1009 (45%) reported dream changes at baseline. A higher proportion of participants with new-onset insomnia reported dream changes (55%) than those with pre-existing insomnia (45%) or good sleepers (36%). Overall, thematic analysis identified key dream change themes of increased dream activity, with participants dreaming vividly, in high-definition, and with a strong negative charge. Themes around survival, adjusting to pandemic life, meaning-making and poor sleep quality were also noted. Linguistic Inquiry Word Count showed that individuals with insomnia used more negative words to describe their dream changes than good sleepers. Specifically, the new-onset insomnia group used more anxious and death-related words than those who slept well. Notably, all groups experienced a significant reduction in dream activity by 3-month follow-up. Lastly, dream changes were associated with worse mental health symptoms over time, and this effect was more pronounced in individuals with insomnia. Our results highlight that insomnia symptoms, especially new-onset insomnia, are associated with more negative dream changes during collective stressful events, potentially compounding daytime distress and mental health symptoms over time. During times of crisis, dreaming and insomnia may reveal an important target for mental health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey Meaklim
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Malisa Burge
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Flora Le
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Sukjhit K. Bains
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - William Saunders
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Stephen Ghosh
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Moira F. Junge
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia,The Sleep Health FoundationBlacktownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Prerna Varma
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
| | - Imogen C. Rehm
- College of Health and BiomedicineVictoria UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Melinda L. Jackson
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological SciencesMonash UniversityMonashVictoriaAustralia
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15
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Geller S, Friedman R, Levy S, Akerman Y, Van den Brink G, Romach G, Shazar T, Goldzweig G. The Rough Road: A Single Case Study of Dreamtelling in a Group during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Military Conflict. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:7174. [PMID: 35742423 PMCID: PMC9222825 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sharing dreams is a common practice, and several motives, such as emotional processing, emotional relief, and request for containment, have been identified. An exploratory single case study research design was used to explore the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and local military conflict among a group of Israeli students. The group discussed a dream previously shared in social network sites during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A qualitative content analysis of the meeting transcript yielded three meaningful and coherent themes: feeling blocked and helpless in front of a barrier; a sense of intrusion, defense, and psychological coping; belonging to the group as a means of coping with an individual and a collective threat. Each of these themes reflected personal, interpersonal, and social aspects of the participants' experiences. The results deepen the understanding of people's dominant experiences and main psychological coping mechanisms during a collective stressful event. Further, they support the positive effect of the dreamtelling approach on individuals' coping experiences and on enhancing hope by sharing and discussing dreams with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulamit Geller
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
| | - Robi Friedman
- International Group Analytic Society, Israeli Institute of Group Analysis, Haifa 33095, Israel;
| | - Sigal Levy
- Statistical Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel;
| | - Yehoshua Akerman
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
| | - Gal Van den Brink
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
| | - Guy Romach
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
| | - Tuli Shazar
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
| | - Gil Goldzweig
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel-Aviv 68182, Israel; (Y.A.); (G.V.d.B.); (G.R.); (T.S.); (G.G.)
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16
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Reis J, Buguet A, Román GC, Spencer PS. The COVID-19 pandemic, an environmental neurology perspective. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2022; 178:499-511. [PMID: 35568518 PMCID: PMC8938187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2022.02.455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Neurologists have a particular interest in SARS-CoV-2 because the nervous system is a major participant in COVID-19, both in its acute phase and in its persistent post-COVID phase. The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection has revealed most of the challenges and risk factors that humanity will face in the future. We review from an environmental neurology perspective some characteristics that have underpinned the pandemic. We consider the agent, SARS-CoV-2, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 as influenced by environmental factors, its impact on the brain and some containment measures on brain health. Several questions remain, including the differential clinical impact of variants, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on sleep and wakefulness, and the neurological components of Long-COVID syndrome. We touch on the role of national leaders and public health policies that have underpinned management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased awareness, anticipation and preparedness are needed to address comparable future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Reis
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France; Association RISE, 67205 Oberhausbergen, France.
| | - A Buguet
- General (r) French Army Health Services, Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS, Claude-Bernard Lyon-1 University, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - G C Román
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - P S Spencer
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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17
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Wießner I, Falchi M, Palhano-Fontes F, Oliveira Maia L, Feilding A, Ribeiro S, Bezerra Mota N, Araujo DB, Tófoli LF. Low-dose LSD and the stream of thought: Increased Discontinuity of Mind, Deep Thoughts and abstract flow. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1721-1733. [PMID: 34708255 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stream of thought describes the nature of the mind when it is freely roaming, a mental state that is continuous and highly dynamic as in mind-wandering or free association. Classic serotonergic psychedelics are known to profoundly impact perception, cognition and language, yet their influence on the stream of thought remains largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the effects of LSD on the stream of thought. METHODS In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 24 healthy participants received 50 μg lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or inactive placebo. Mind-wandering was measured by the Amsterdam Resting State Questionnaire (ARSQ), free association by the Forward Flow Task (FFT) for three seed word types (animals, objects, abstract words). ARSQ and FFT were assessed at +0 h, +2 h, +4 h, +6 h, +8 h and +24 h after drug administration, respectively. RESULTS LSD, compared to placebo, induced different facets of mind-wandering we conceptualized as "chaos" (Discontinuity of Mind, decreased Sleepiness, Planning, Thoughts under Control, Thoughts about Work and Thoughts about Past), "meaning" (Deep Thoughts, Not Sharing Thoughts) and "sensation" (Thoughts about Odours, Thoughts about Sounds). LSD increased the FFT for abstract words reflecting an "abstract flow" under free association. Overall, chaos was strongest pronounced (+2 h to +6 h), followed by meaning (+2 h to +4 h), sensation (+2 h) and abstract flow (+4 h). CONCLUSIONS LSD affects the stream of thought within several levels (active, passive), facets (chaos, meaning, sensation, abstractness) and time points (from +2 h to +6 h). Increased chaos, meaning and abstract flow at +4 h indicate the utility of a late therapeutic window in psycholytic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Wießner
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil. .,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Falchi
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Palhano-Fontes
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Lucas Oliveira Maia
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Natália Bezerra Mota
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.,Department of Physics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Draulio B Araujo
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Luís Fernando Tófoli
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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18
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The Oneiric Activity during and after the COVID-19 Total Lockdown in Italy: A Longitudinal Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19073857. [PMID: 35409540 PMCID: PMC8997831 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic affected oneiric activity. However, only a few studies have assessed the longitudinal changes in dream phenomenology during different phases of the pandemic, often focused on a limited number of dream variables. The aim of the present study was to provide an exhaustive assessment of dream features during total lockdown (TL) and a post-lockdown (PL) period characterized by eased restrictive measures in Italy. We performed a longitudinal study using a web-based survey to collect demographic, COVID-19 related, clinical, sleep, and dream data at TL and PL. Our final sample included 108 participants. The high frequency of poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms observed during TL remained stable at PL, while sleep latency (t = −4.09; p < 0.001) and PTSD-related disruptive nocturnal behaviors (t = −5.68; p < 0.001) exhibited a reduction at PL. A PL decrease in time spent with digital media was observed (t = −2.77; p = 0.007). We found a strong PL reduction in dream frequency (t = −5.49; p < 0.001), emotional load (t = −2.71; p = 0.008), vividness (t = −4.90; p < 0.001), bizarreness (t = −4.05; p < 0.001), length (t = −4.67; p < 0.001), and lucid dream frequency (t = −2.40; p = 0.018). Fear was the most frequently reported emotion in dreams at TL (26.9%) and PL (22.2%). Only the frequency of specific lockdown-related dream contents exhibited a reduction at PL. These findings highlight that the end of the home confinement had a strong impact on the oneiric activity, in the direction of reduced dream frequency, intensity, and lockdown-related contents. The co-occurrence of such changes with a decline in nocturnal PTSD-related symptoms, sleep latency, and time with digital media suggests an influence of post-traumatic stress levels, lifestyle modifications, and sleep pattern on dream changes during different phases of the pandemic. The stable prevalence of fear in dreams and the large frequency of poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety are probably related to the persistence of many negative consequences of the pandemic. Overall, these results are consistent with the continuity hypothesis of dreams.
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19
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Wießner I, Falchi M, Maia LO, Daldegan-Bueno D, Palhano-Fontes F, Mason NL, Ramaekers JG, Gross ME, Schooler JW, Feilding A, Ribeiro S, Araujo DB, Tófoli LF. LSD and creativity: Increased novelty and symbolic thinking, decreased utility and convergent thinking. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:348-359. [PMID: 35105186 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211069113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Controversy surrounds psychedelics and their potential to boost creativity. To date, psychedelic studies lack a uniform conceptualization of creativity and methodologically rigorous designs. AIMS This study aimed at addressing previous issues by examining the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on creativity using multimodal tasks and multidimensional approaches. METHODS In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 24 healthy volunteers received 50 μg of LSD or inactive placebo. Near drug peak, a creativity task battery was applied, including pattern meaning task (PMT), alternate uses task (AUT), picture concept task (PCT), creative metaphors task (MET) and figural creativity task (FIG). Creativity was assessed by scoring creativity criteria (novelty, utility, surprise), calculating divergent thinking (fluency, originality, flexibility, elaboration) and convergent thinking, computing semantic distances (semantic spread, semantic steps) and searching for data-driven special features. RESULTS LSD, compared to placebo, changed several creativity measurements pointing to three overall LSD-induced phenomena: (1) 'pattern break', reflected by increased novelty, surprise, originality and semantic distances; (2) decreased 'organization', reflected by decreased utility, convergent thinking and, marginally, elaboration; and (3) 'meaning', reflected by increased symbolic thinking and ambiguity in the data-driven results. CONCLUSION LSD changed creativity across modalities and measurement approaches. Three phenomena of pattern break, disorganization and meaning seemed to fundamentally influence creative cognition and behaviour pointing to a shift of cognitive resources 'away from normal' and 'towards the new'. LSD-induced symbolic thinking might provide a tool to support treatment efficiency in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Wießner
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Falchi
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Oliveira Maia
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno
- Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Schools of Population Health and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Natasha L Mason
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes G Ramaekers
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Madeleine E Gross
- Psychological and Brain Science Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan W Schooler
- Psychological and Brain Science Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Draulio B Araujo
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Luís Fernando Tófoli
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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20
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Scarpelli S, Nadorff MR, Bjorvatn B, Chung F, Dauvilliers Y, Espie CA, Inoue Y, Matsui K, Merikanto I, Morin CM, Penzel T, Sieminski M, Fang H, Macêdo T, Mota-Rolim SA, Leger D, Plazzi G, Chan NY, Partinen M, Bolstad CJ, Holzinger B, De Gennaro L. Nightmares in People with COVID-19: Did Coronavirus Infect Our Dreams? Nat Sci Sleep 2022; 14:93-108. [PMID: 35115852 PMCID: PMC8800372 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s344299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A growing number of studies have demonstrated that the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected sleep and dream activity in healthy people. To date, no investigation has examined dream activity specifically in COVID-19 patients. METHODS As part of the International COVID-19 Sleep Study (ICOSS), we compared 544 COVID-19 participants with 544 matched-controls. A within-subjects comparison between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods computed separately for controls and COVID-19 participants were performed on dream recall and nightmare frequency (DRF; NF). Also, non-parametric comparisons between controls and COVID-19 participants were carried out. Further, we compared psychological measures between the groups collected during pandemic. Ordinal logistic regression to detect the best predictors of NF was performed. RESULTS We found that people reported greater dream activity during the pandemic. Comparisons between controls and COVID-19 participants revealed a) no difference between groups concerning DRF in the pre-pandemic period and during the pandemic; b) no difference between groups concerning nightmare frequency in the pre-pandemic period; and c) COVID-19 participants reported significantly higher NF than controls during pandemic (p = 0.003). Additionally, we showed that a) anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD) symptom scores were higher in COVID-19 participants than controls; and b) quality of life and health as well as wellbeing (WHO-5) scores were significantly higher in controls than COVID-19 participants. Finally, ordinal logistic regression indicates that DRF (p < 0.001), PTSD (p < 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.018), insomnia (p = 0.039), COVID-19 severity (p = 0.014), sleep duration (p = 0.003) and age (p = 0.001) predicted NF. DISCUSSION Our work shows strong associations between increased nightmares in those reporting having had COVID-19. This suggests that the more that people were affected by COVID-19, the greater the impact upon dream activity and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael R Nadorff
- Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bjørn Bjorvatn
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen and Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Frances Chung
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yves Dauvilliers
- Sleep-Wake Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Gui-de-Chauliac Hospital, CHU Montpellier, INM, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Colin A Espie
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Kentaro Matsui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ilona Merikanto
- SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Charles M Morin
- École de Psychologie, Centre d’étude des troubles du sommeil, Centre de recherche CERVO/Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Thomas Penzel
- Sleep Medicine Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mariusz Sieminski
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Han Fang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tainá Macêdo
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Sérgio A Mota-Rolim
- Brain Institute, Physiology and Behavior Department, and Onofre Lopes University Hospital - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Damien Leger
- Université de Paris, APHP, Hôtel-Dieu, Centre du Sommeil et de la Vigilance, Paris, France
| | - Giuseppe Plazzi
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Ngan Yin Chan
- Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Regions, People’s Republic of China
| | - Markku Partinen
- Helsinki Sleep Clinic, Terveystalo Healthcare, and Department of Neurosciences, Clinicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Brigitte Holzinger
- Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University Vienna, Postgraduate Master Program Medical Sleep Coaching, ZK-Schlafcoaching, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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21
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Automatic system for high-throughput and high-sensitivity diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2022; 45:503-514. [PMID: 35031864 PMCID: PMC8760113 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-021-02674-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had severe consequences for health and the global economy. To control the transmission, there is an urgent demand for early diagnosis and treatment in the general population. In the present study, an automatic system for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis is designed and built to deliver high specification, high sensitivity, and high throughput with minimal workforce involvement. The system, set up with cross-priming amplification (CPA) rather than conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), was evaluated using more than 1000 real-world samples for direct comparison. This fully automated robotic system performed SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid-based diagnosis with 192 samples in under 180 min at 100 copies per reaction in a “specimen in data out” manner. This throughput translates to a daily screening capacity of 800–1000 in an assembly-line manner with limited workforce involvement. The sensitivity of this device could be further improved using a CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based assay, which opens the door to mixed samples, potentially include SARS-CoV-2 variants screening in extensively scaled testing for fighting COVID-19.
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22
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Gibson R, Shetty H, Carter M, Münch M. Sleeping in a bubble: factors affecting sleep during New Zealand's COVID-19 lockdown. SLEEP ADVANCES : A JOURNAL OF THE SLEEP RESEARCH SOCIETY 2022; 3:zpac017. [PMID: 35996713 PMCID: PMC9383987 DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
New Zealand (NZ) enforced a rigorous lockdown in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. Infection rates remained remarkably low, yet social and personal routines were affected. Factors associated with reporting worsening sleep were explored using an anonymous online survey launched during New Zealand's 2020 lockdown. Participants were 723 adults aged 20-85 years (median: 45 years, 82% women). Bed and wake times occurred significantly later compared to pre-lockdown estimates and resulted in shorter social jetlag (15 min). During lockdown, 54.5% were identified as "poor sleepers" [i.e. score > 5 on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)]. Overall, 45% rated their sleep quality to worsen compared to pre-lockdown, 22% reported an improvement. Reports of worsening sleep were significantly related to increased sleep latency, reduced sleep efficiency, and heightened PSQI scores compared to those with better sleep or no change. Subjectively worse sleep was significantly associated with less time engaging in physical activity, less exposure to daylight, and social interactions compared to pre-lockdown estimates (p < .05). Logistic regression models identified significant relationships between having more vivid dreams and worsening sleep. Worse sleepers also had increased likelihoods of reporting poorer mood and they also scored higher for anxiety compared to those with no change or improved sleep during lockdown (p < .05). Pandemic-related restrictions contributed to poorer self-reported sleep which was linked to deterioration of mood. Negative affect was comparatively lower than reported elsewhere. These findings provide unique insights to the psychosocial impact of the initial COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand, where the disease outbreak remained low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Gibson
- Corresponding author. R. Gibson, School of Psychology, Massey University Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
| | - Harshi Shetty
- Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mikaela Carter
- Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mirjam Münch
- Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
- Research Centre for Hauora and Health, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
- Centre for Chronobiology, University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, Transfaculty Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, Switzerland
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23
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Šćepanović S, Aiello LM, Barrett D, Quercia D. Epidemic dreams: dreaming about health during the COVID-19 pandemic. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211080. [PMID: 35116145 PMCID: PMC8790359 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The continuity hypothesis of dreams suggests that the content of dreams is continuous with the dreamer's waking experiences. Given the unprecedented nature of the experiences during COVID-19, we studied the continuity hypothesis in the context of the pandemic. We implemented a deep-learning algorithm that can extract mentions of medical conditions from text and applied it to two datasets collected during the pandemic: 2888 dream reports (dreaming life experiences), and 57 milion tweets (waking life experiences) mentioning the pandemic. The health expressions common to both sets were typical COVID-19 symptoms (e.g. cough, fever and anxiety), suggesting that dreams reflected people's real-world experiences. The health expressions that distinguished the two sets reflected differences in thought processes: expressions in waking life reflected a linear and logical thought process and, as such, described realistic symptoms or related disorders (e.g. nasal pain, SARS, H1N1); those in dreaming life reflected a thought process closer to the visual and emotional spheres and, as such, described either conditions unrelated to the virus (e.g. maggots, deformities, snake bites), or conditions of surreal nature (e.g. teeth falling out, body crumbling into sand). Our results confirm that dream reports represent an understudied yet valuable source of people's health experiences in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Deirdre Barrett
- Harvard Medical School, 352 Harvard Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Daniele Quercia
- Nokia Bell Labs, 21 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB30FA, UK
- CUSP, King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
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24
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Saccaro LF, Amatori G, Cappelli A, Mazziotti R, Dell'Osso L, Rutigliano G. Portable technologies for digital phenotyping of bipolar disorder: A systematic review. J Affect Disord 2021; 295:323-338. [PMID: 34488086 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bias-prone psychiatric interviews remain the mainstay of bipolar disorder (BD) assessment. The development of digital phenotyping promises to improve BD management. We present a systematic review of the evidence about the use of portable digital devices for the identification of BD, BD types and BD mood states and for symptom assessment. METHODS We searched Web of KnowledgeSM, Scopus ®, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library databases (until 5/1/2021) for articles evaluating the use of portable/wearable digital devices, such as smartphone apps, wearable sensors, audio and/or visual recordings, and multimodal tools. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020200086). RESULTS We included 62 studies (2325 BD; 724 healthy controls, HC): 27 using smartphone apps, either for recording self-assessments (n = 10) or for passively gathering metadata (n = 7) or both (n = 10); 15 using wearable sensors for physiological parameters; 17 analysing audio and/or video recordings; 3 using multiple technologies. Two thirds of the included studies applied artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches. They achieved fair to excellent classification performances. LIMITATIONS The included studies had small sample sizes and marked heterogeneity. Evidence of overfitting emerged, limiting generalizability. The absence of clear guidelines about reporting classification performances, with no shared standard metrics, makes results hardly interpretable and comparable. CONCLUSIONS New technologies offer a noteworthy opportunity to BD digital phenotyping with objectivity and high granularity. AI-based models could deliver important support in clinical decision-making. Further research and cooperation between different stakeholders are needed for addressing methodological, ethical and socio-economic considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi F Saccaro
- Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospital (HUG), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Amatori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Cappelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Mazziotti
- Institute of Neuroscience of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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25
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Solomonova E, Picard-Deland C, Rapoport IL, Pennestri MH, Saad M, Kendzerska T, Veissiere SPL, Godbout R, Edwards JD, Quilty L, Robillard R. Stuck in a lockdown: Dreams, bad dreams, nightmares, and their relationship to stress, depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259040. [PMID: 34818346 PMCID: PMC8612516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An upsurge in dream and nightmare frequency has been noted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and research shows increases in levels of stress, depression and anxiety during this time. Growing evidence suggests that dream content has a bi-directional relationship with psychopathology, and that dreams react to new, personally significant and emotional experiences. The first lockdown experience was an acute event, characterized by a combination of several unprecedent factors (new pandemic, threat of disease, global uncertainty, the experience of social isolation and exposure to stressful information) that resulted in a large-scale disruption of life routines. This study aimed at investigating changes in dream, bad dream and nightmare recall; most prevalent dream themes; and the relationship between dreams, bad dreams, nightmares and symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety during the first COVID-19 lockdown (April-May 2020) through a national online survey. METHODS 968 participants completed an online survey. Dream themes were measured using the Typical Dreams Questionnaire; stress levels were measured by the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale; symptoms of anxiety were assessed by Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale; and symptoms of depression were assessed using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology. RESULTS 34% (328) of participants reported increased dream recall during the lockdown. The most common dream themes were centered around the topics of 1) inefficacy (e.g., trying again and again, arriving late), 2) human threat (e.g., being chased, attacked); 3) death; and 4) pandemic imagery (e.g., being separated from loved ones, being sick). Dream, bad dream and nightmare frequency was highest in individuals with moderate to severe stress levels. Frequency of bad dreams, nightmares, and dreams about the pandemic, inefficacy, and death were associated with higher levels of stress, as well as with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Results support theories of dream formation, environmental susceptibility and stress reactivity. Dream content during the lockdown broadly reflected existential concerns and was associated with increased symptoms of mental health indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta Solomonova
- Neurophilosophy Lab, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Culture, Mind and Brain research group, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Claudia Picard-Deland
- Dream and Nightmare Laboratory, Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Marie-Hélène Pennestri
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Sleep Laboratory and Clinic, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mysa Saad
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Tetyana Kendzerska
- Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Samuel Paul Louis Veissiere
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Culture, Mind and Brain research group, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Roger Godbout
- Sleep Laboratory and Clinic, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jodi D. Edwards
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lena Quilty
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Rebecca Robillard
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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26
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Gorgoni M, Scarpelli S, Mangiaruga A, Alfonsi V, Bonsignore MR, Fanfulla F, Ferini-Strambi L, Nobili L, Plazzi G, De Gennaro L. Pre-sleep arousal and sleep quality during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Sleep Med 2021; 88:46-57. [PMID: 34731828 PMCID: PMC8577578 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected daily habits and psychological wellbeing, and many studies point to large modifications in several sleep and sleep-related domains. Nevertheless, pre-sleep arousal during the pandemic has been substantially overlooked. Since hyperarousal represents one of the main factors for the development and the perpetuation of chronic insomnia disorder, the assessment of variables associated with high levels of pre-sleep arousal during the pandemic is clinically relevant. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of perceived sleep quality and pre-sleep arousal in an Italian sample during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods We used an online survey to collect self-reported sociodemographic, environmental, clinical, sleep, and sleep-related data. Our final sample included 761 participants. Results Beyond a high frequency of poor sleep quality, depressive and stress symptoms, our results show that almost half of the sample suffered from clinically relevant levels of at least one component (ie, cognitive, somatic) of pre-sleep arousal. Subjects with greater pre-sleep arousal exhibited poorer sleep quality. Also, sleep quality was strongly associated with somatic and cognitive pre-sleep arousal. Regarding the predictors of sleep and sleep-related measures, depressive and event-related stress symptoms were the main factors associated with both poor sleep quality and pre-sleep arousal components. Moreover, specific sociodemographic and environmental variables were uniquely related to sleep quality, cognitive or somatic pre-sleep arousal. Conclusions These findings suggest that the assessment of specific sleep-related factors (ie, pre-sleep arousal), together with more global measures of sleep quality, may be crucial to depict the complex impact of the pandemic on sleep, and to help prevent and counteract the spread of insomnia symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anastasia Mangiaruga
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesco Fanfulla
- Sleep Medicine Unit, Clinical and Scientific Maugeri Institutes, Scientific Institute of Pavia IRCCS Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Lino Nobili
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Plazzi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
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27
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Mariani R, Gennaro A, Monaco S, Di Trani M, Salvatore S. Narratives of Dreams and Waking Thoughts: Emotional Processing in Relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:745081. [PMID: 34795615 PMCID: PMC8593037 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.745081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic posed a significant challenge to the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of each individual. It also brought the importance of daily emotional management for survival to the forefront of every human being. Our study aims to explore whether emotional processes perform different functions during waking thoughts and night dreams during the first lockdown in Italy. Utilizing Multiple Code Theory (MCT), our goal is to verify whether waking thoughts facilitate a functional disconnection in order to manage the trauma caused by COVID-19. Two online forms were distributed to random participants in the general population, presenting a total of 49 reports of night dreams (23 males; mean age 33.45 ds. 10.12; word mean 238.54 ds. 146.8) and 48 reports of waking thoughts (25 males; mean age 34.54 ds. 12.8; word mean M. 91 words ds. 23). The Referential Process linguistic measures and Affect Salience Index were utilized. It was found that Affect Salience is present in both dreams and in waking thoughts; however, Referential Activity was higher in dreams and Reflection and Affect words were higher in waking thoughts. Two different processes of emotional elaboration emerged. The results highlight the use of greater symbolization processes during dreams and a higher emotional distance in waking thoughts. These results confirm that during the nocturnal processes, there is greater contact with the processing of trauma, while during the diurnal processes, defensive strategies were activated to cope with and manage life via a moment of the defensive disruption of daily activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Mariani
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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28
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Mosher Henke R. Knowing Well, Being Well: well-being born of understanding: Shifts in Health Behaviors Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Health Promot 2021; 35:1162-1183. [DOI: 10.1177/08901171211055310a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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29
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the sleep and dreams of many individuals. Some have experienced improvements, while others have had more complaints. The changes to daily life such as working from home and spending more time indoors in confinement may have disturbed the circadian rhythms of some individuals. There were many reports of a shift towards a later bedtime during the pandemic, with several studies showing that in general, females experienced worse sleep than males, including more nighttime awakenings and nightmares. Increased dream and nightmare frequency during the pandemic has been shown in multiple studies. It has been postulated that because dreams are often guided by the dominant emotional state, that dreams and nightmares related to pandemic themes are a result of specific stressors related to COVID-19. Those experiencing unwanted sleep disturbances and nightmares could stand to benefit from mindfulness and relaxation practices that can ease stress and anxiety before bedtime. Striving to maintain a regular sleep schedule and enhance exposure to daylight-particularly during the first half of the day-may also be helpful.
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30
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Scarpelli S, Alfonsi V, Gorgoni M, Musetti A, Filosa M, Quattropani MC, Lenzo V, Vegni E, Borghi L, Margherita G, Freda MF, Saita E, Cattivelli R, Castelnuovo G, Manari T, Plazzi G, De Gennaro L, Franceschini C. Dreams and Nightmares during the First and Second Wave of the COVID-19 Infection: A Longitudinal Study. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111375. [PMID: 34827374 PMCID: PMC8615577 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent literature shows that the Coronovirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has provoked significant changes in dreaming. The current study intends to provide an update about dream variable changes during the second wave of COVID-19. A total of 611 participants completed a web survey from December 2020 to January 2021. Statistical comparisons showed that subjects had lower dream-recall frequency, nightmare frequency, lucid-dream frequency, emotional intensity, and nightmare distress during the second than the first wave of the pandemic. Dreams had a higher negative tone during the second than first wave. We revealed significant differences concerning post-traumatic growth, sleep-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sleep measures between groups obtained as a function of the changes in the oneiric frequency between the first and second waves. We also found significant correlations between qualitative/emotional dream features and COVID-19-related factors (job change, forced quarantine, having COVID-19 infected relatives/friends, or asking for mental health help). Overall, we found that the second wave affected fewer quantitative features of dream activity and there was less emotional intensity. Moreover, we confirmed the relationship between nightmares and the high risk of PTSD when subjects were grouped as a function of the increasing/decreasing frequency. Finally, our findings are partly coherent with the continuity hypothesis between oneiric and waking experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.A.); (M.G.); (L.D.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Valentina Alfonsi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.A.); (M.G.); (L.D.G.)
| | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.A.); (M.G.); (L.D.G.)
| | - Alessandro Musetti
- Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy; (A.M.); (T.M.)
| | - Maria Filosa
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.F.); (C.F.)
| | - Maria C. Quattropani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Vittorio Lenzo
- Department of Social and Educational Sciences of the Mediterranean Area, “Dante Alighieri” University for Foreigners of Reggio Calabria, 89125 Reggio Calabria, Italy;
| | - Elena Vegni
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20146 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (L.B.)
| | - Lidia Borghi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20146 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (L.B.)
| | - Giorgia Margherita
- Department of Humanistic Studies, Federico II University, 80138 Naples, Italy; (G.M.); (M.F.F.)
| | - Maria Francesca Freda
- Department of Humanistic Studies, Federico II University, 80138 Naples, Italy; (G.M.); (M.F.F.)
| | - Emanuela Saita
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, 20123 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Roberto Cattivelli
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, 20123 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (G.C.)
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 28824 Verbania, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, 20123 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (G.C.)
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 28824 Verbania, Italy
| | - Tommaso Manari
- Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy; (A.M.); (T.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Plazzi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.A.); (M.G.); (L.D.G.)
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Christian Franceschini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.F.); (C.F.)
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Alfonsi V, Gorgoni M, Scarpelli S, Zivi P, Sdoia S, Mari E, Quaglieri A, Ferlazzo F, Giannini AM, De Gennaro L. Changes in sleep pattern and dream activity across and after the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: A longitudinal observational study. J Sleep Res 2021; 31:e13500. [PMID: 34595786 PMCID: PMC8646575 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A large body of evidence has documented the impact of the global COVID‐19 outbreak – and especially the lockdown period – on sleep quality and quantity. Here, we present the first Italian longitudinal study on sleep and COVID‐19 considering four different time points collected during lockdown (from 29 March 2020 to 3 May 2020) and a subsequent follow‐up period (October 2020). We used an online survey to collect socio‐demographic and COVID‐19 related information. Subjects were also asked to complete a sleep diary at each time point of the study. Our longitudinal sample included 147 participants. Statistical comparison across time intervals showed remarkable changes in sleep patterns during and after the lockdown. In particular, during lockdown we observed longer sleep latency, less ease of falling asleep, a higher total bedtime, and a lower dream frequency. The week‐by‐week evaluation described relatively stable patterns in the observed measures during the lockdown period, except for dream frequency, affected by a rapid increase in the early phase of lockdown. Our findings are in line with the current literature. Furthermore, the prospective longitudinal investigation comprising several time points offered the possibility of (a) observing the temporal dynamics and the different entities of such changes over time, and (b) reducing the typical memory bias for these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Zivi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Sdoia
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mari
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Ferlazzo
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Body and Action Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Clemente-Suárez VJ, Martínez-González MB, Benitez-Agudelo JC, Navarro-Jiménez E, Beltran-Velasco AI, Ruisoto P, Diaz Arroyo E, Laborde-Cárdenas CC, Tornero-Aguilera JF. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Disorders. A Critical Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10041. [PMID: 34639341 PMCID: PMC8507604 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of the worldwide population. Citizens suffer the social, economic, physiological, and psychological effects of this pandemic. Primary sources, scientific articles, and secondary bibliographic indexes, databases, and web pages were used for a consensus critical review. The method was a narrative review of the available literature to summarize the existing literature addressing mental health concerns and stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The main search engines used in the present research were PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar. We found the pandemic has had a direct impact on psychopathologies such as anxiety, increasing its ratios, and depression. Other syndromes such as burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder have increased with the pandemic, showing a larger incidence among medical personnel. Moreover, eating disorders and violence have also increased. Public authorities must prepare healthcare systems for increasing incidences of mental pathologies. Mental health apps are one of the tools that can be used to reach the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez
- Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
- Grupo de Investigación en Cultura, Educación y Sociedad, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
- Studies Centre in Applied Combat (CESCA), 45007 Toledo, Spain
| | - Marina Begoña Martínez-González
- Departamento de Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia; (M.B.M.-G.); (J.C.B.-A.)
| | - Juan Camilo Benitez-Agudelo
- Departamento de Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia; (M.B.M.-G.); (J.C.B.-A.)
| | | | | | - Pablo Ruisoto
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarre, 31006 Pamplona, Spain;
| | | | | | - Jose Francisco Tornero-Aguilera
- Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
- Studies Centre in Applied Combat (CESCA), 45007 Toledo, Spain
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Elce V, Handjaras G, Bernardi G. The Language of Dreams: Application of Linguistics-Based Approaches for the Automated Analysis of Dream Experiences. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3:495-514. [PMID: 34563057 PMCID: PMC8482230 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3030035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of dreams represents a crucial intersection between philosophical, psychological, neuroscientific, and clinical interests. Importantly, one of the main sources of insight into dreaming activity are the (oral or written) reports provided by dreamers upon awakening from their sleep. Classically, two main types of information are commonly extracted from dream reports: structural and semantic, content-related information. Extracted structural information is typically limited to the simple count of words or sentences in a report. Instead, content analysis usually relies on quantitative scores assigned by two or more (blind) human operators through the use of predefined coding systems. Within this review, we will show that methods borrowed from the field of linguistic analysis, such as graph analysis, dictionary-based content analysis, and distributional semantics approaches, could be used to complement and, in many cases, replace classical measures and scales for the quantitative structural and semantic assessment of dream reports. Importantly, these methods allow the direct (operator-independent) extraction of quantitative information from language data, hence enabling a fully objective and reproducible analysis of conscious experiences occurring during human sleep. Most importantly, these approaches can be partially or fully automatized and may thus be easily applied to the analysis of large datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giulio Bernardi
- MoMiLab Research Unit, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, 55100 Lucca, Italy; (V.E.); (G.H.)
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34
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Putting into Words the COVID-19 Lockdown Experience: Psychological Symptoms and the Referential Process. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9091100. [PMID: 34574874 PMCID: PMC8464981 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9091100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic is a unique collective event which has affected the physical and psychological health of all individuals. Restrictions imposed by governments to counteract this situation have represented risk factors for developing psychopathological symptoms. This study aims to explore the relationship between psychological symptoms and the referential process (RP). Forty-eight healthy participants (25 males, mean age = 39.3; SD = 16.6) completed a demographic questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) through an online platform and wrote about their experience 3 weeks after the imposition of the lockdown. Different linguistic measures of the RP were applied to the narratives. The logical functions expressed through written narratives (The Italian Reflection Dictionary score, IREF) showed significant positive correlations with the SCL-90-R General Score Index (GSI) and different SCL-90-R subscales (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and paranoid ideation). On the contrary, the reorganization and reflection function related to emotional events (The Italian Weighted Reflection and Reorganization List score, IWRRL) showed significant negative correlations with the SCL-90-R’s GSI and different subscales (obsessive-compulsiveness, depression, anxiety). The results highlight the relationship between psychological symptoms and complex defense mechanisms based on the intellectualization of negative emotions and a positive strategy of reorganization based on emotional elaboration. These results suggest the importance of supporting collective elaborations of citizens in the context of the pandemic.
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Kennedy KER, Bastien CH, Ruby PM, Killgore WDS, Wills CCA, Grandner MA. Nightmare content during the COVID-19 pandemic: Influence of COVID-related stress and sleep disruption in the United States. J Sleep Res 2021; 31:e13439. [PMID: 34409676 PMCID: PMC8420119 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Nightmares are often associated with psychiatric disorders and acute stress. This study explores how the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced the content of nightmares. A sample of N = 419 US adults completed online surveys about sleep and COVID-19 experiences. Participants were asked about the degree to which they agreed with statements linking greater general stress, worse overall sleep and more middle-of-the-night insomnia with the COVID-19 pandemic. They were also asked if, during the pandemic, they experienced nightmares related to various themes. Logistic regression analyses examined each nightmare content as outcome and increased stress, worse sleep and more middle-of-the-night insomnia as predictors, adjusted for age, sex and race/ethnicity. Those who reported greater general COVID-related stress were more likely to have nightmares about confinement, failure, helplessness, anxiety, war, separation, totalitarianism, sickness, death, COVID and an apocalypse. Those who reported worsened sleep were more likely to have nightmares about confinement, oppression, failure, helplessness, disaster, anxiety, evil forces, war, domestic abuse, separation, totalitarianism, sickness, death, COVID and an apocalypse. Those who reported worsened middle-of-the-night insomnia were more likely to have nightmares about confinement, oppression, failure, helplessness, disaster, anxiety, war, domestic abuse, separation, totalitarianism, sickness, death, COVID and an apocalypse. These results suggest that increased pandemic-related stress may induce negatively-toned dreams of specific themes. Future investigation might determine whether (and when) this symptom indicates an emotion regulation mechanism at play, or the failure of such a mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E R Kennedy
- Sleep and Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Perrine M Ruby
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Brain Dynamics and Cognition team, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - William D S Killgore
- SCAN Lab, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Chloe C A Wills
- Sleep and Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Michael A Grandner
- Sleep and Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Guo Y, Zhang Y, Lyu T, Prosperi M, Wang F, Xu H, Bian J. The application of artificial intelligence and data integration in COVID-19 studies: a scoping review. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021; 28:2050-2067. [PMID: 34151987 PMCID: PMC8344463 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocab098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarize how artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied in COVID-19 research and determine whether these AI applications integrated heterogenous data from different sources for modeling. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched 2 major COVID-19 literature databases, the National Institutes of Health's LitCovid and the World Health Organization's COVID-19 database on March 9, 2021. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, 2 reviewers independently reviewed all the articles in 2 rounds of screening. RESULTS In the 794 studies included in the final qualitative analysis, we identified 7 key COVID-19 research areas in which AI was applied, including disease forecasting, medical imaging-based diagnosis and prognosis, early detection and prognosis (non-imaging), drug repurposing and early drug discovery, social media data analysis, genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data analysis, and other COVID-19 research topics. We also found that there was a lack of heterogenous data integration in these AI applications. DISCUSSION Risk factors relevant to COVID-19 outcomes exist in heterogeneous data sources, including electronic health records, surveillance systems, sociodemographic datasets, and many more. However, most AI applications in COVID-19 research adopted a single-sourced approach that could omit important risk factors and thus lead to biased algorithms. Integrating heterogeneous data for modeling will help realize the full potential of AI algorithms, improve precision, and reduce bias. CONCLUSION There is a lack of data integration in the AI applications in COVID-19 research and a need for a multilevel AI framework that supports the analysis of heterogeneous data from different sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Guo
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Cancer Informatics Shared Resource, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yahan Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Tianchen Lyu
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Cancer Informatics Shared Resource, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Mattia Prosperi
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions & College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jiang Bian
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Cancer Informatics Shared Resource, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Mariani R, Monaco S, Christian C, Di Trani M. Dreaming in quarantine: linguistic analysis of referential process of dreams during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2021; 24:537. [PMID: 34568106 PMCID: PMC8451209 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a collective trauma adversely affecting physical and psychological health. The impact of this trauma made itself manifest in a myriad of ways, including through dreams. This study aimed to explore the Referential Process (RP, Bucci, 2021) of dreams reported during quarantine. Dream samples were collected through a social blog. Linguistic analysis and clinical evaluation were conducted to explore the group's collective elaboration of a shared traumatic experience. Sixty-eight people (22 males; mean age 26.16 ds. 7.68) contributed to a social-blog, writing their dreams. 91 dreams were collected and transcribed using transcription rules for the Discourse Attributes Analysis Program (DAAP). Linguistic measures of RP were applied and a statistical cluster analysis was performed. In addition, each dream was evaluated by trained judges on three specific qualities of the RP (Arousal, Symbolizing, and Reflection/Reorganizing). Clinical judges in a double-blinded method reached reliable scoring (Arousal α.874 ICC 0.701; Symbolizing α.783 ICC 0.671; Reflection/reorganization α.884 ICC 0.758). Cluster Analysis yielded three dream clusters. 26 dreams fell under a cluster defined as a symbolizing process (Cluster A); 16 into a cluster defined as arousal of emotional activation (Cluster B); and 49 dreams fell into a cluster defined as Reflection/Reorganizing elaboration (Cluster C). Each cluster showed specific linguistic features. The dreams collected through a blog showed a Referential Process that is similar to that found in psychotherapy process. Results suggests that writing dreams can play different functions in processing and integrating social traumatic experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Mariani
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Monaco
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Michela Di Trani
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Borghi L, Bonazza F, Lamiani G, Musetti A, Manari T, Filosa M, Quattropani MC, Lenzo V, Freda MF, Lemmo D, Saita E, Cattivelli R, Castelnuovo G, Vegni E, Franceschini C. Dreaming during lockdown: a quali-quantitative analysis of the Italian population dreams during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2021; 24:547. [PMID: 34568113 PMCID: PMC8451213 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to explore the emotional experiences related to the lockdown during the first pandemic wave, analysing the dreams of the Italian population. Through an online survey spread throughout the country, participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the Resilience Scale (RS) and were asked to narrate a dream they had during the lockdown. The dreams were qualitatively analysed through the thematic content analysis. Logistic regression analyses were then conducted to verify the relationship among the categories that emerged and between these categories and the DASS-21 and RS scores. In the dreams 8 categories were identified (Places, Characters, Relationships, Actions, Danger, Death, Processes, and Emotions) composed of specific sub-categories, which seem to compose a sort of narrative structure of the dream. Some sub-categories were found to be predictor of depression and resilience or with exposure to COVID-19. Dreams can be a valid tool both to understand the experiences of the population during the pandemic and to evaluate those at risk of developing distress in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Borghi
- Psicologia Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano
| | - Federica Bonazza
- Psicologia Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano
| | - Giulia Lamiani
- Psicologia Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano
| | - Alessandro Musetti
- Dipartimento di Discipline Umanistiche, Sociali e delle Imprese culturali, Università di Parma, Parma
| | - Tommaso Manari
- Dipartimento di Discipline Umanistiche, Sociali e delle Imprese culturali, Università di Parma, Parma
| | - Maria Filosa
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Parma, Parma
| | | | - Vittorio Lenzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Società e della Formazione d’Area Mediterranea, Università per Stranieri ‘Dante Alighieri’ di Reggio Calabria
| | | | - Daniela Lemmo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Umanistiche, Università Federico II, Napoli
| | - Emanuela Saita
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica di Milano, Milano
| | - Roberto Cattivelli
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica di Milano, Milano
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Laboratorio di Ricerca Psicologica, Milano, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica di Milano, Milano
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Laboratorio di Ricerca Psicologica, Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Vegni
- Psicologia Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano
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Marogna C, Montanari E, Contiero S, Lleshi K. Dreaming during COVID-19: the effects of a world trauma. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2021; 24:541. [PMID: 34568109 PMCID: PMC8451215 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of health emergency affecting the entire world population. Given the serious practical and psychological difficulties and complications that have been experienced during this period, many scholars have created hypothesis, as a consequence, an increased possibility of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the general population with significant implications for one's dream activity. Participants in the study were recruited via the instant messaging application 'WhatsApp' for a period of 14 days. The study consisted of three phases: the first phase provided information on the purpose of the research and how to carry it out; in the second phase, each participant, using the Bionian model of dream experience as a focus, was asked to write down dreams, emotions and free connections/associations related to the dream. At the end of the collection, the texts obtained were analysed by means of a qualitative analysis performed with the aid of the MAXQDA software. The study confirms the computational and exploratory analysis of the text carried out in the research of Pesonen et al. (2020), finding also in our sample the presence of the hypothesized clusters going to explain the manifestation of imagery related to COVID-19 also within the dream activity. To confirm this, the nightmare of participant number 6 of the study is reported. The following qualitative research has offered an insight into the traumatic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing how many unmetabolized 'daytime elements' have been reproposed in the dream scenario, recalling the symptomatology of PTSD through the presence of distressing content that affect the quality of sleep and the daily life of the individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Marogna
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education & Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padua, Italy
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40
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Scarpelli S, Gorgoni M, Alfonsi V, Annarumma L, Di Natale V, Pezza E, De Gennaro L. The impact of the end of COVID confinement on pandemic dreams, as assessed by a weekly sleep diary: a longitudinal investigation in Italy. J Sleep Res 2021; 31:e13429. [PMID: 34288197 PMCID: PMC8420281 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus 2019 pandemic strongly affected our sleep and dream activity. Many cross‐sectional studies highlighted increased dream recall frequency, and revealed a great presence of pandemic‐related oneiric contents. Here, we present the first prospective study carried out on an Italian sample. One‐hundred subjects were requested to fill out a web‐survey including socio‐demographic information, and questionnaires collecting sleep and clinical measures during lockdown. A final sample of 90 subjects participated in the longitudinal protocol lasting 2 weeks: (a) the first week (April 28–May 4) of full lockdown; and (b) the second week (May 5–May 11) of easing of restrictions. Subjects were asked to record at home their dream experiences, and complete a sleep‐dream diary each morning. Statistical comparisons showed that participants had higher numbers of awakenings, lower ease of falling asleep, higher dream recall and lucid dream frequency during lockdown than post‐lockdown. Further, subjects reported more dreams, including “being in crowded places” during post‐lockdown than lockdown. The poorer sleep quality during lockdown is quite consistent with previous findings. The relationship between traumatic events and dream recall frequency confirmed the idea of pandemic as “collective trauma”. Also, we hypothesized that the greater presence of lucid dreams during confinement could reflect the attempt to cope with the waking pandemic‐experiences. Finally, the presence of crowded places into dream scenarios during the second week of our protocol appears consistent with the continuity‐hypothesis, as the possibility to access places frequented by other people could represent a relevant experience after a long period of confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Emilio Pezza
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Conte F, Rescott ML, De Rosa O, Cellini N, Coppola A, Cerasuolo M, Malloggi S, Giganti F, Ficca G. Changes in dream features across the first and second waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. J Sleep Res 2021; 31:e13425. [PMID: 34159658 PMCID: PMC8420319 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Research during the Covid‐19 pandemic has highlighted its significant impact on dreaming. Here we address changes in dream features both during the first wave, when the Italian government imposed a total lockdown, and the second wave (autumn 2020), when a partial lockdown was effected. In April 2020 (total lockdown), 1,622 participants (Mage = 34.1 ± 13.6 years; 1171F) completed an online survey including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a set of questions on dream features and their possible changes relative to the month preceding the lockdown (pre‐total lockdown). In November 2020 (partial lockdown), 214 participants (Mage = 36.78 ± 14.2 years; 159F) from the previous sample completed the same survey. Approximately half of the subjects reported increased or decreased dream frequency (30.5% and 21.8%), length (27.1% and 15.8%) and vividness (31.5% and 17.1%) during total lockdown as well as during partial lockdown (frequency: 30.3% and 13.5%; length: 23.3% and 12.6%; vividness: 31.6% and 24.1%). Dream affect became significantly more negative in total lockdown relative to pre‐total lockdown and in partial lockdown relative to pre‐partial lockdown (both p < .001). Both in total lockdown and partial lockdown, increased negative dream emotionality significantly predicted changes in dream frequency, length and vividness, and was significantly predicted, in turn, by worsened sleep quality. Our data confirm that dream features are significantly affected by major life changes such as those imposed by a pandemic. The fact that between lockdowns negative dream affect returned almost to baseline level suggests that dream emotionality is closely related to lifestyle and wake‐time emotional changes. Also, our findings point to a modulating role of sleep quality on dream emotionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Conte
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | | | - Oreste De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Nicola Cellini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Human Inspired Technology Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessia Coppola
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | | | - Serena Malloggi
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Gianluca Ficca
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
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42
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Tuominen J, Olkoniemi H, Revonsuo A, Valli K. 'No Man is an Island': Effects of social seclusion on social dream content and REM sleep. Br J Psychol 2021; 113:84-104. [PMID: 34107065 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Based on the Social Simulation Theory of dreaming (SST), we studied the effects of voluntary social seclusion on dream content and sleep structure. Specifically, we studied the Compensation Hypothesis, which predicts social dream contents to increase during social seclusion, the Sociality Bias - a ratio between dream and wake interactions - and the Strengthening Hypothesis, which predicts an increase in familiar dream characters during seclusion. Additionally, we assessed changes in the proportion of REM sleep. Sleep data and dream reports from 18 participants were collected preceding (n = 94), during (n = 90) and after (n = 119) a seclusion retreat. Data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models. We failed to support the Compensation Hypothesis, with dreams evidencing fewer social interactions during seclusion. The Strengthening Hypothesis was supported, with more familiar characters present in seclusion dreams. Dream social interactions maintained the Sociality Bias even under seclusion. Additionally, REM sleep increased during seclusion, coinciding with previous literature and tentatively supporting the proposed attachment function for social REM sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno Tuominen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.,Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Henri Olkoniemi
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Antti Revonsuo
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.,Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Sweden
| | - Katja Valli
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.,Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Sweden
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43
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Guerrero-Gomez A, Nöthen-Garunja I, Schredl M, Homberg A, Vulcan M, Brusić A, Bonizzi C, Iannaco C. Dreaming in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Health Crisis: Survey Among a Sample of European School Students. Front Psychol 2021; 12:652627. [PMID: 33959080 PMCID: PMC8093446 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.652627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the continuity hypothesis of dreaming and contemporary psychodynamic approaches, dreams reflect waking life. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and dreaming in adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Italy, Romania and Croatia involving 2,105 secondary school students (69% girls, mean age 15.6 ± 2.1 years; 31% boys, mean age 15.1 ± 2.2 years; mean age of whole sample 15.4 ± 2.1 years). No substantial differences between countries were found. Thirty-one percent of the participants reported heightened dream recall, 18% noticed an increase in nightmares during the lockdown, and 15% of the provided dreams (n = 498) included pandemic-related content. The results indicate that subjective emotional reactions to lockdown had a significantly higher correlation to dreaming than objective distress (i.e., illness or death of a close one because of COVID-19). These findings suggest that attention to dreams should be included in preventive programs for adolescents with pandemic-related stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael Schredl
- Sleep Laboratory, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty, Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Maria Vulcan
- Timișoara 2021 – European Capital of Culture Association, Timișoara, Romania
| | - Asja Brusić
- Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture, Croatian Cultural Centre, Rijeka, Croatia
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44
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Caycho-Rodríguez T, Vilca LW, Carbajal-León C, Heredia-Mongrut J, Gallegos M, Portillo N, Reyes-Bossio M, Barboza-Palomino M. Obsession with Covid-19 in Peruvian police and armed forces: Validation of the obsession with Covid-19 Scale in Spanish using SEM and IRT models. DEATH STUDIES 2021; 46:2145-2155. [PMID: 33764854 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2021.1900453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) in 214 police and members of the armed forces (Mage = 29.33 years, SD = 11.28). The one-dimensionality and satisfactory reliability of OCS were confirmed with confirmatory factor analysis, Item Response Theory analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and McDonald's omega. The scale is useful for identifying individuals with low levels of persistent and disturbing thoughts about COVID-19. COVID-19 obsession was associated with COVID-19 fear, anxiety, and depression. The OCS is suitable for investigating the psychological impact of COVID-19 on members of the police and armed forces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lindsey W Vilca
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Perú
| | | | - José Heredia-Mongrut
- Unidad de Tutoría Universitaria en la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Universidad Privada de Tacna, Tacna, Perú
| | - Miguel Gallegos
- Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nelson Portillo
- Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Mario Reyes-Bossio
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
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45
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Kilius E, Abbas NH, McKinnon L, Samson DR. Pandemic Nightmares: COVID-19 Lockdown Associated With Increased Aggression in Female University Students' Dreams. Front Psychol 2021; 12:644636. [PMID: 33746860 PMCID: PMC7973031 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated stressors have impacted the daily lives and sleeping patterns of many individuals, including university students. Dreams may provide insight into how the mind processes changing realities; dreams not only allow consolidation of new information, but may give the opportunity to creatively "play out" low-risk, hypothetical threat simulations. While there are studies that analyze dreams in high-stress situations, little is known of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted dreams of university students. The aim of this study was to explore how the dream content of students was affected during the university COVID-19 lockdown period (March-July, 2020). Using online survey methods, we analyzed dream recall content (n = 71) using the Hall-Van de Castle dream coding system and Fisher's exact tests for sex comparisons. Preliminary results indicate that female students experienced more nightmares as compared to male students. Dream analysis found that, relative to normative American College Student (ACS) samples generated pre-COVID-19, women were more likely to experience aggressive interactions in their dream content, including increased physical aggression. Results indicate that university students did experience changes in dream content due to the pandemic lockdown period, with women disproportionally affected. These findings can aid universities in developing support programs for students by bringing forth an understanding of students' concerns and anxieties as they process the "new normal" of social distancing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Kilius
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Noor H Abbas
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Leela McKinnon
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - David R Samson
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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