Evaluation Of Sleep Walking

Question 0

Why are children more likely to be sleep walkers?

Answer 0

Children have more SWS than adults.
GABA systems in children are immature.
Children often have sleep disordered breathing which leads to sleep deprivation which triggers SW.
Often have RLS which again causes lack if sleep leading to SW.
More research is needed

Question 1

Best explanation for sleep walking?

Answer 1

Would involve a diathesis-stress model.

Genetic vulnerability mixed with immaturity of brain cells, sleep deprivation, apnoea, stress, alcohol, fever.

Question 2

Guilleminault et al (2003)

Answer 2

Studied children and looked at their medical histories, sleep questionnaires and interviews, schooling, family history, EEG EMG EOG
Found many children had SDB and to a lesser extent RLS. In many cases SW disappeared when SDB and RLS were treated.
Needs to be researched if genes leads to disorders causing SW and terrors or causes them.