Sleep DIsorders Flashcards
“Attenuation of the posterior dominant background rhythm” is the buzz phrase for which stage of sleep?
N1
What are the buzz word characteristics for N2?
sleep spindles and K complexes
What’s the buzz phrase for N3?
background consisting of more than 20% in delta frequency (0.5 to 2 Hz range)
What stage of sleep is suppressed by benzos?
N2
What stage of sleep is suppressed by antidepressants and alcohol?
REM
What percentage of time is spent in REM sleep for adults?
20-25%
What part of the brain controls circadian rhythms?
suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (with inputs from the pineal gland via melatonin)
What can be seen in someone with restless leg syndrome while they’re asleep?
periodic limb movements of sleep - repetitive involuntary movements of the lower extremity that last 2-3 seconds and then are followed by a slow recovery of the normal leg position
What should lab evaluation of RLS include?
ferritin and iron levels because many patients with RLS have iron deficiency
What are the treatments of choice for RLS?
dopamine agonists - ropinirole and pramipexole preferred over levodopa
What does augmentation mean in the setting of RLS?
it’s the occurrence of RLS symptoms earlier in the day in response to dopamine agonists
What are the four components of narcolepsy?
narcolepsy
cataplexy
sleep paralysis
hypnagogic hallucinations
What is the pathophysiology of narcolepsy?
loss of hypocretin-secreting neurons in the hypothalamus
What would you see in the CSF in narcolepsy?
a hypocretin level less than 110 pg/mL
What’s the typical diagnostic test for narcolepsy though?
a multiple sleep latency test that involves several short naps and monitoring of the latency to sleep onset and latency to REM onset.
sleep latency of less than 8 minutes with more than two episodes of REM at sleep onset is diagnostic for narcolepsy
