Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- known condition causing sleep fragmentation/deprivation
- normal physical exam between episodes
- cognitive disturbance during event (confusional arousals, sleep terrors, and sleepwalking)
- cognitive disturbances in between episodes (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- sensation of a sudden loud noise in the head (exploding head syndrome)
- vigorous or violent behavior during episode (confusional arousals, sleepwalking, sleep terrors, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- episodes of inability to move during episode (recurrent isolated sleep paralysis)
- eating behavior during the night (sleep-related eating disorder)
- evidence of external injuries (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- evidence of fear during episode demonstrated by autonomic hyperactivity (sleep terrors, nightmare disorder)
Other diagnostic factors
- abnormal facial expression during episode (confusional arousals, sleepwalking, sleep terrors, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- parkinsonian signs (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
Risk factors
- history of childhood parasomnias (nonrapid eye movement parasomnias)
- age >60 years (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- male sex (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- female sex (nightmare disorder, isolated recurrent sleep paralysis)
- family history (confusional arousals, sleepwalking, sleep terrors)
- presence of human leukocyte antigen gene DQB1 (sleepwalking)
- obstructive and central sleep apnea (mainly nonrapid eye movement sleep parasomnias)
- enuresis
- periodic limb movement disorder (mainly nonrapid eye movement sleep parasomnias)
- sleep deprivation (sleepwalking and sleep paralysis)
- stress (nightmare disorder)
- psychiatric disorders (nightmare disorder, sleep paralysis)
- neurologic disorders (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)
- medications such as venlafaxine, SSRIs (rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, nightmare disorder)
- forced awakenings
- eating disorder (sleep-related eating disorder)
- history of sleepwalking, sleeptalking, and periodic limb movements of sleep (sleep-related eating disorder)
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- polysomnography (PSG) (in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder [RBD])
Investigations to consider
- PSG (in confusional arousals)
- PSG (in sleepwalking)
- PSG (in nightmare disorder)
- PSG (in sleep terrors)
- PSG (in all other parasomnias)
- electroencephalogram (EEG)
- urine drug screen
Treatment algorithm
nonrapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnia
rapid eye movement (REM) parasomnia
other parasomnias
Contributors
Authors
Hrayr Attarian, MD
Professor
Director of the Center for Sleep Disorders
Neurology Department
Northwestern University
Chicago
IL
Disclosures
HA has carried out consultancy work for Harmony Bioscience, and received royalties from Springer. HA is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Acknowledgements
Dr Hrayr Attarian would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Pierre Giglio, a previous contributor to this topic.
Disclosures
PG declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Bobbi Hopkins, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
Texas Children's Hospital
Clinical Care Center
Houston
TX
Disclosures
BH declares that she has no competing interests.
Mark Mahowald, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Neurology
Hennepin County Medical Center
Minneapolis
MN
Disclosures
MM is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Differentials
- seizures (sleep related)
- narcolepsy
- nocturnal dissociative disorder
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- Position paper for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults
- Clinical practice guideline for diagnostic testing for adult obstructive sleep apnea
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