Effects of Blast Exposure on Subjective and Objective Sleep Measures in Combat Veterans with and without PTSD. 2016

Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the extent to which self-reported exposure to blast during deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan affects subjective and objective sleep measures in service members and veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS Seventy-one medication-free service members and veterans (mean age = 29.47 ± 5.76 years old; 85% men) completed self-report sleep measures and overnight polysomnographic studies. Four multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to examine the impact of blast exposure and PTSD on subjective sleep measures, measures of sleep continuity, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep parameters, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep parameters. RESULTS There was no significant Blast × PTSD interaction on subjective sleep measures. Rather, PTSD had a main effect on insomnia severity, sleep quality, and disruptive nocturnal behaviors. There was no significant Blast × PTSD interaction, nor were there main effects of PTSD or Blast on measures of sleep continuity and NREM sleep. A significant PTSD × Blast interaction effect was found for REM fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that, although persistent concussive symptoms following blast exposure are associated with sleep disturbances, self-reported blast exposure without concurrent symptoms does not appear to contribute to poor sleep quality, insomnia, and disruptive nocturnal disturbances beyond the effects of PTSD. Reduced REM sleep fragmentation may be a sensitive index of the synergetic effects of both psychological and physical insults.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012890 Sleep A readily reversible suspension of sensorimotor interaction with the environment, usually associated with recumbency and immobility. Sleep Habits,Sleeping Habit,Sleeping Habits,Habit, Sleep,Habit, Sleeping,Habits, Sleep,Habits, Sleeping,Sleep Habit
D012893 Sleep Wake Disorders Abnormal sleep-wake schedule or pattern associated with the CIRCADIAN RHYTHM which affect the length, timing, and/or rigidity of the sleep-wake cycle relative to the day-night cycle. Sleep Disorders,Long Sleeper Syndrome,Short Sleep Phenotype,Short Sleeper Syndrome,Sleep-Related Neurogenic Tachypnea,Subwakefullness Syndrome,Disorder, Sleep,Disorder, Sleep Wake,Disorders, Sleep,Disorders, Sleep Wake,Long Sleeper Syndromes,Neurogenic Tachypnea, Sleep-Related,Neurogenic Tachypneas, Sleep-Related,Phenotype, Short Sleep,Phenotypes, Short Sleep,Short Sleep Phenotypes,Short Sleeper Syndromes,Sleep Disorder,Sleep Phenotypes, Short,Sleep Related Neurogenic Tachypnea,Sleep Wake Disorder,Sleep-Related Neurogenic Tachypneas,Sleeper Syndrome, Long,Sleeper Syndrome, Short,Sleeper Syndromes, Long,Sleeper Syndromes, Short,Subwakefullness Syndromes,Syndrome, Long Sleeper,Syndrome, Short Sleeper,Syndrome, Subwakefullness,Syndromes, Long Sleeper,Syndromes, Short Sleeper,Syndromes, Subwakefullness,Tachypnea, Sleep-Related Neurogenic,Tachypneas, Sleep-Related Neurogenic,Wake Disorder, Sleep,Wake Disorders, Sleep
D013313 Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic A class of traumatic stress disorders with symptoms that last more than one month. Moral Injury,Neuroses, Post-Traumatic,PTSD,Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders,Acute Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Delayed Onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Neuroses, Posttraumatic,Posttraumatic Stress Disorders,Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic,Stress Disorders, Posttraumatic,Acute Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Delayed Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Injury, Moral,Moral Injuries,Neuroses, Post Traumatic,Post Traumatic Stress Disorders,Post-Traumatic Neuroses,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Posttraumatic Neuroses,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic,Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic
D014728 Veterans Former members of the armed services. Veteran
D017286 Polysomnography Simultaneous and continuous monitoring of several parameters during sleep to study normal and abnormal sleep. The study includes monitoring of brain waves, to assess sleep stages, and other physiological variables such as breathing, eye movements, and blood oxygen levels which exhibit a disrupted pattern with sleep disturbances. Monitoring, Sleep,Somnography,Polysomnographies,Sleep Monitoring,Somnographies
D054042 Bombs A weapon designed to explode when deployed. It frequently refers to a hollow case filled with EXPLOSIVE AGENTS. Bomb

Related Publications

Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
January 1996, Journal of traumatic stress,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
November 2023, Applied neuropsychology. Adult,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
September 2019, Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
November 2021, Journal of psychiatric research,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
January 2020, Frontiers in neurology,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
October 2019, Neuropsychology,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
September 1992, Journal of clinical psychology,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
June 1997, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
October 2020, Neuropsychology,
Ryan P J Stocker, and Benjamin T E Paul, and Oommen Mammen, and Hassen Khan, and Marissa A Cieply, and Anne Germain
January 2017, Neuropsychology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!