Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39438131›Full record

Trial reportJournal of sleep research2025

Treating narcolepsy-related nightmares with cognitive behavioural therapy and targeted lucidity reactivation: A pilot study.

Jennifer M Mundt, Kristi E Pruiksma, Karen R Konkoly, Clair Casiello-Robbins, Michael R Nadorff, Rachel-Clair Franklin, Sunaina Karanth, Nina Byskosh, Daniel J Morris, S Gabriela Torres-Platas and 3 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of sleep research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Bringing cognitive behavioral therapy for nightmares to patients with trauma: increasing access and feasibility via primary and acute care.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. The Future of Parasomnias.Journal of sleep research · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Jennifer M MundtDepartment of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0778-6881
Kristi E PruiksmaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Karen R KonkolyDepartment of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Clair Casiello-RobbinsTriangle Area Psychology Clinic, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Michael R NadorffDepartment of Psychology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA.
Rachel-Clair FranklinDepartment of Psychology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA.
Sunaina KaranthDepartment of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Nina ByskoshMcGaw Medical Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Daniel J MorrisDepartment of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
S Gabriela Torres-PlatasDepartment of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Remington MallettDepartment of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Kiran MaskiHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ken A PallerCenter for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4415-4143

Funding

Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NUCATS)UL1TR001422 · NCATS · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI D'AQUILA, RICHARD · 2015 to 2023
$56.8M
TRAINING GRANT IN SLEEP RESEARCHT32HL007909 · NHLBI · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · PI FRED W TUREK, Phyllis C. Zee · 1998 to 2026
$9.2M
TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE NEUROSCIENCE OF HUMAN COGNITIONT32NS047987 · NINDS · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI Rodrigo M Braga, Christina Maria Zelano · 2006 to 2026
$5.6M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001422NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL007909NINDS NIH HHS T32 NS047987Northwestern University Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine n/a
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Nightmares are a common symptom in narcolepsy that has not been targeted in prior clinical trials. This study investigated the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Nightmares (CBT-N), adapted for narcolepsy, in a small group of adults. Given the high prevalence of lucid dreaming in narcolepsy, we added a promising adjuvant component, targeted lucidity reactivation (TLR), a procedure designed to enhance lucid dreaming and dream control. Using a multiple baseline single-case experimental design, adults with narcolepsy and frequent nightmares (≥3/week, N = 6) were randomised to a 2 or 4 week baseline and received seven treatment sessions (CBT-N or CBT-N + TLR). Across the groups, there was a large effect size (between-case standardised mean difference [BC-SMD] = -0.97, 95% CI -1.79 to -0.14, p < 0.05) for reduced nightmare frequency from baseline (M = 8.38/week, SD = 7.08) to posttreatment (M = 2.25/week, SD = 1.78). Nightmare severity improved significantly with large effect sizes on sleep diaries (BC-SMD = -1.14, 95% CI -2.03 to -0.25, p < 0.05) and the Disturbing Dream and Nightmare Severity Index (z = -2.20, p = 0.03, r = -0.64). Treatment was associated with a reduction for some participants in sleep paralysis, sleep-related hallucinations, and dream enactment. NREM parasomnia symptoms (z = -2.20, p = 0.03, r = -0.64) and self-efficacy for managing symptoms (z = -2.02, p = 0.04, r = -0.58) improved significantly with large effect sizes. Participants who underwent TLR (n = 3) all recalled dreams pertaining to their rescripted nightmare. In interviews, participants noted reduced shame and anxiety about sleep/nightmares. This study provides a proof of concept for the application of TLR as a therapeutic strategy with clinical populations, as well as preliminary evidence for the efficacy of CBT-N in treating narcolepsy-related nightmares.

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyDreamsNarcolepsyAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsTreatment OutcomeYoung Adulthypnagogic hallucinationshypnopompic hallucinationsimagery rehearsal therapylucid dreamingparasomniassleep paralysis

Identifiers

PMID39438131
PMCPMC12012161

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.