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Sleep Medicine Clinics Mar 2024Somnambulism, also called sleepwalking, classified as a non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnia, encompasses a range of abnormal paroxysmal behaviors, leading to... (Review)
Review
Somnambulism, also called sleepwalking, classified as a non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnia, encompasses a range of abnormal paroxysmal behaviors, leading to sleepwalking in dissociated sleep in an altered state of consciousness with impaired judgment and configuring a kind of hierarchical continuum with confusional arousal and night terror. Despite being generally regarded as a benign condition, its potential severity entails social, personal, and even forensic consequences. This comprehensive review provides an overview on the current state of knowledge, elucidating the phenomenon of somnambulism and encompassing its clinical manifestations and diagnostic approaches.
Topics: Humans; Somnambulism; Night Terrors; Parasomnias; Sleep Arousal Disorders; Sleep
PubMed: 38368068
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2023.10.001 -
British Dental Journal Apr 2020
Topics: Humans; Somnambulism
PubMed: 32332931
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-020-1538-2 -
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy Oct 2004Somnambulism is an arousal parasomnia consisting of a series of complex behaviours that result in large movements in bed or walking during sleep. It occurs in 2-14% of... (Review)
Review
Somnambulism is an arousal parasomnia consisting of a series of complex behaviours that result in large movements in bed or walking during sleep. It occurs in 2-14% of children and 1.6-2.4% of adults. Occasional benign episodes are managed conservatively. However, recurrent sleepwalking with a risk of injury to self or others mandates immediate treatment with pharmacotherapy while awaiting work-up. The most commonly used medications are benzodiazepines, particularly clonazepam, with tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitors also administered. Treatment of underlying causes such as obstructive sleep apnoea, upper airway resistance syndrome, restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements, is currently the best approach and usually eliminates somnambulism in children and adults.
Topics: Adult; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; Benzodiazepines; Central Nervous System Depressants; Child; Humans; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Somnambulism
PubMed: 15461542
DOI: 10.1517/14656566.5.10.2069 -
The Lancet. Neurology Mar 2013Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, can give rise to a wide range of adverse consequences and is one of the leading causes of sleep-related injury. Accurate diagnosis is... (Review)
Review
Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, can give rise to a wide range of adverse consequences and is one of the leading causes of sleep-related injury. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for proper management and imperative in an ever-increasing number of medicolegal cases implicating sleep-related violence. Unfortunately, several widely held views of sleepwalking are characterised by key misconceptions, and some established diagnostic criteria are inconsistent with research findings. The traditional idea of somnambulism as a disorder of arousal might be too restrictive and a comprehensive view should include the idea of simultaneous interplay between states of sleep and wakefulness. Abnormal sleep physiology, state dissociation, and genetic factors might explain the pathophysiology of the disorder.
Topics: Brain; Brain Chemistry; Humans; Somnambulism
PubMed: 23415568
DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70322-8 -
Sleep Nov 1995
Topics: Homicide; Humans; Somnambulism
PubMed: 8638075
DOI: 10.1093/sleep/18.9.805 -
Neurology May 1990We evaluated with clinical interviews and polysomnographic examinations 10 adults with the complaint of sleepwalking, often accompanied by violent behavior or...
We evaluated with clinical interviews and polysomnographic examinations 10 adults with the complaint of sleepwalking, often accompanied by violent behavior or self-injury. During the polysomnographic studies, 8 patients had 47 distinct somnambulistic episodes. All episodes occurred in non-REM sleep, with 91% occurring in slow-wave sleep. Contrary to previous reports, episodes were not confined to the 1st 3rd of the night. Clinical EEGs were normal in 5 of 6 patients. In the 7 patients tried on 1 or more treatment regimens, clonazepam effectively suppressed the somnambulism in 5 of 6 patients in whom it was tried, carbamazepine in 1 of 3, flurazepam in 2 of 2, and a combination of clonazepam and phenytoin in one.
Topics: Adult; Electrophysiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sleep Stages; Somnambulism; Violence; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 2330099
DOI: 10.1212/wnl.40.5.749 -
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine :... Nov 2019Somnambulism is a non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnia with potential for significant injury as well as functional nighttime and daytime impairment. Clonazepam is...
Somnambulism is a non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnia with potential for significant injury as well as functional nighttime and daytime impairment. Clonazepam is frequently used as first line pharmacotherapy. However, the optimal treatment of somnambulism has not been established. In this article, we present the cases of two patients with severe somnambulism who showed a significant therapeutic response to osmotic release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-MPH). In addition to its practical therapeutic implications, this first report of the successful treatment of somnambulism with OROS-MPH may provide additional insight into the neurobiological underpinnings of this medical condition.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Delayed-Action Preparations; Female; Humans; Methylphenidate; Osmosis; Somnambulism; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 31739860
DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.8040 -
Orvosi Hetilap Jun 2005The authors review the literature on the epidemiology, the clinical and electrophysiological symptoms of somnambulism. The disorder specified as "nREM parasomnia with... (Review)
Review
The authors review the literature on the epidemiology, the clinical and electrophysiological symptoms of somnambulism. The disorder specified as "nREM parasomnia with awakening disorder" belongs to the nREM sleep (awakening) parasomnias. In most of the cases its occurence is familial with the highest prevalence at age 12 year. Above age 12 year most cases recover whereas 6% of prevalence is reported in adults. It is probable that most patients seek medical help only in severe cases associated with injuries, accidents or violence. Its etiology is unknown; in essence it is a sleep regulation disorder characterised by a dissociated state of partial awakening from nREM sleep: the motor system becomes awake while consciousness remains clouded. There are several medicines inducing somnambulism in patients otherwise free from this disorder. In somnambule patients the most important provoking factors are sleep deprivation as well as pathological states and circumstances evoking sleep loss. Somnambulism should be differentiated from complex partial epileptic seizures and REM behaviour disorder. As there is no specific treatment at the moment it is important to assure safe sleeping circumstances - ground flour, closed windows, and no fragile furniture. Clonazepam and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors prove sometimes effective, but the most effective methods in decreasing the frequency of somnambule episodes are the regular sleep-wakefulness schedule and the avoidance of sleep deprivation.
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Somnambulism
PubMed: 15988917
DOI: No ID Found -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Aug 2009Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, is a parasomnia of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep where movement behaviours usually confined to wakefulness are displayed during... (Review)
Review
Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, is a parasomnia of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep where movement behaviours usually confined to wakefulness are displayed during sleep. Generally, if sleepwalking is causing distress or danger in spite of safety measures, medical or psychological treatment is indicated. Clinicians will need to assess the evidence for treatment options. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Ovid Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EBM) multifile databases were searched. No properly powered rigorous controlled trials were found for treatment of sleepwalking in adults. Seven reports described small trials with some kind of control arm, or retrospective case series which included 30 or more patients. With no high quality evidence to underpin recommendations for treatments of somnambulism, full discussion with patients is advised. Adequately powered, well-designed clinical trials are now needed, and multi-centre collaborations may be required to obtain the sample sizes required.
Topics: Adult; Benzodiazepines; Combined Modality Therapy; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Hypnosis; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Imagery, Psychotherapy; Patient Care Team; Relaxation Therapy; Somnambulism; Suggestion; Young Adult
PubMed: 19046651
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2008.09.003 -
CNS Spectrums Dec 2007Somnambulism, a previously unreported side effect of quetiapine, is described in two cases. Both cases involved individuals who had no prior or family history of... (Review)
Review
Somnambulism, a previously unreported side effect of quetiapine, is described in two cases. Both cases involved individuals who had no prior or family history of somnambulism and had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The possible significance of this will also be discussed. Somnambulism is a common parasomnia that reflects an impairment in the normal mechanisms of arousal from sleep in which motor behaviors are activated without full consciousness. Motor behaviors are initiated during deep non-rapid eye movement or slow-wave sleep (stages 3-4), and may be limited to relatively simple manifestations, such as sitting up, fumbling with objects or bedclothes, or mumbling.
Topics: Adolescent; Antipsychotic Agents; Dibenzothiazepines; Humans; Lower Extremity; Magnesium; Male; Middle Aged; Polysomnography; Quetiapine Fumarate; Seizures; Somnambulism
PubMed: 18163036
DOI: 10.1017/s1092852900015698