Eye movements and autonomic changes

• REM-like movements and autonomic self-regulation by Ratan Singh, Ph.D., 8/9/97
  • Autogenic Training and Autonomic Response by David B. Rosenthal, M.Ed., LPC, 8/13/97
    
    

A published EMDR study appears relevant to the current discussion. In a component analysis the eye movment condition only produced an increase in temperature consistent with a relaxation response:

In a controlled study, 18 subjects suffering from PTSD were randomly assigned to eye movement, hand tap, and exposure-only groups. Significant differences were found using physiological measures (including galvanic skin response, skin temperature, and heart rate) and the SUD Scale. The results revealed, with the eye movement condition only, a one-session desensitization of subject distress and an automatically elicited and seemingly compelled relaxation response, which arose during the eye movement sets.

Wilson, D., Silver, S.M, Covi, W., & Foster, S. (1996). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Effectiveness and autonomic correlates. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 27 , 219-229.

• Reply and request to Shapiro on Posting Response to Eye movements by Ratan Singh, 8/16/97