Lateral eye movements preferentially increase fixation rate for those with PTSD: A potential mechanism for EMDR

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience memory disturbances, including impaired mental simulation of past or future events and intrusive traumatic memories that are vivid and in-the-moment yet fragmented. A common treatment is eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy which involves making lateral saccades whilst recalling the traumatic memory; however, its mechanism remains unclear.

Journal

English

Hannah Marlatte
Jennifer Ryan
Asaf Gilboa

Marlatte, H., Ryan, J., & Gilboa, A. (2025). Lateral eye movements preferentially increase fixation rate for those with PTSD: A potential mechanism for EMDR. Biological Psychiatry, 97(9), Supplement, S274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.02.668