Dissociation, resting EEG, and subjective sleep experiences in undergraduates

T.M. Giesbrecht*, E.M.M. Jongen, F.T.Y. Smulders, H.L.G.J. Merckelbach

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In this study, we explored whether individual differences in dissociation are related to certain resting electroencephalographic (EEG) parameters. Baseline EEG with eyes open and closed was recorded in an undergraduate sample (N = 67). Cortical power in the a range was inversely related to dissociative symptoms as measured by the Dissociative Experiences Scale, while both delta and theta power where positively related to dissociation. However, sleep experiences, as indexed with the Iowa Sleep Experiences Survey, were unrelated to resting EEG characteristics. We propose that suppression in the alpha band and raised levels of theta activity, which are typical for high dissociators, might help to explain why dissociative symptoms are accompanied by attentional and memory deficits.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)362-368
JournalJournal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume194
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2006

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