Module 5 - Non-Respiratory Sleep Disorders Flashcards
What are parasomnias?
Undesirable physical events or experiences that occur during, or entry to, or during arousals of sleep.
List 4 parasomnias
NREM Parasomnia
REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder
Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis
Nightmare Disorder
What are some types of NREM parasomnias?
Include a wide variety of parasomnias, including confusional arousal, night terrors and sleep walking and sexsomnia
Why do NREM parasomnias occur?
May be due to ‘local’ sleep where 2 parts of the brain are in different sleep stages
When are NREM parasomnias more likely to occur?
Stress
Sleep deprivation
Alcohol
Depressive disorders
Describe what confusional arousals are (what they do to the body and when they are likely to occur).
A form of NREM parasomnia
Typically when waking out of N3 sleep.
If they occur in a sleep study, more likely to be severe at home.
They wake suddenly, increased HR, confused and incomplete awakening.
Generally not remembered
What is the incidence in age of confusional arousals?
3-4% above 15 years old
17% under 13 years old
Describe when night terrors are more likely to occur and what happens during a terror
Commonly occur in N3 sleep.
More common in kids, 3% or less of kids under 13 experience night terrors
Sudden waking with sleeping, increased HR and impossible to communicate with.
Why does sleep walking occur?
There’s a genetic influence, but not clear
What happens during sleep walking?
Difficult to arouse
Amnesia of event
Includes both routine and inappropriate behaviour
What percentage of adults who sleep walk also did it as a child?
60-70%
Only 10-20% of 4-8 year olds sleep walk
What is REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder?
Inhibition that is characteristic of REM sleep is disrupted, so movement with dreams can occur
Can result to harm to themselves or others as dreams are often violent.
People are unlikely to remember dream when awoken from episode
Who is more likely to experience REM sleep behaviour disorder?
Mainly in men over 50 years old
Common in people with, or who are developing Parkinson’s disease, Lewy Body disease and multiple systems atrophy.
~80% of people convert to PD
What are the prodromal behaviours of REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder?
May be sleep talking, limb jerking or vivid, violent dreams
What is the likely underlying neurologic problem of REM sleep behaviour disorder?
Issue with pons. May be responsible for reduced muscle tone.
Also potentially limbic system for violent dreams and/or striatum due to PD relationship
What can cause REM sleep behaviour disorder?
Withdrawal from REM suppressors like alcohol, substance abuse or withdrawal from other medication toxicity.
Associated with narcolepsy
Describe Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis
Inability to move at sleep onset (hypnagogic) or on awakening (hypnopompic)
People have recall and are aware for event but being touched or spoken to or attempting to move can stop episode.
Sensation of dyspnea is common even though diaphragmatic function is in tact.
How frequently does recurrent isolated sleep paralysis occur?
Can occur several times a month, around 15-40% of students report having more than 1 episode.
More common in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia
What are triggers of Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis?
Disrupted and irregular sleep
Sleep deprivation
Stress
What is the treatment of Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis?
Often not needed
Describe what Nightmare Disorders are
Similar to dream anxiety attacks. Recurrent nightmares which are disturbing experiences.
Often occur during REM sleep and usually result in an awakening
Increased heart and respiratory wake before waking
When is Nightmare Disorder most common?
Following a trauma. Also involved in PTSD.
What is the epidemiology of Nightmare Disorder?
Adults: 50-80%
3-5 year olds: 10-50%
80% within 3 months of trauma in people with PTSD
What is the common treatment for Nightmare Disorder?
Image Rehearsal Therapy: write dreams with positive outcomes
List a hypersomnia
Narcolepsy
What is narcolepsy?
Disorder of sleep/wake instability.
Sleep is fragmented (short REM latency)
Unwanted sleep
Sleepiness is present
Hypnogogic hallucinations can occur
Describe the two types of narcolepsy
N1: excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, low or no orexin
N2: excessive sleepiness, no cataplexy, normal orexin
What is cataplexy?
When REM sleep intrudes wakefulness, which is commonly triggered by emotion.
Sudden loss of muscle tone.
What is the cause of cataplexy?
Unknown, in rare cases head trauma
What are hypnogogic hallucinations?
Seeing non-existent images at sleep onset
When is the onset of narcolepsy?
Usually between 20-30 years old