UTSA professor examines relationship between sleep and PTSD

APRIL 29, 2025 — Researchers at the UTSA Sleep and Memory Computational Lab are studying how Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep could influence individuals who are regularly exposed to stressful experiences and are at higher risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The study, led by UTSA psychology professor Itamar Lerner, involves collaboration with first responders, such as firefighters and law enforcement personnel. The researchers examined their baseline levels of REM sleep, also known as “dream sleep,” and how that could have lasting effects on them over time.

“Our ongoing hypothesis is that REM sleep affects your ability to process threatening situations in two different ways, based on the predictiveness of the cues associated to the threat,” Lerner said. “Proving that would not only have clinical implications but also tell us something fundamental about the memory processes that occur in the brain and how sleep affects them.”

This research began as a pilot study two years ago. Since then, Lerner has secured a five-year, $725,000 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation for his research. This funding will allow his team to recruit more than 100 participants overall, with nearly 70 participants already enrolled.

In this video, hear from Professor Lerner, who is affiliated with MATRIX: The UTSA AI Consortium for Human Well-being, about this groundbreaking study and how it could have an impact on the future evaluation process of potential servicemen, law enforcement officers and first responders.

— John Elizondo