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somnambulism (sleep walking)
Pathology:
- involves complex, repetitive automatic or semipurposeful movements during non-REM sleep
Genetics:
- tends to run in families
Clinical manifestations:
1) episodes last about 15 minutes
2) patients are difficult to arouse
Laboratory:
1) polysomnography
2) assessment of sleep microstruture cyclic alternating pattern (experimental) [2]
Management:
1) physical barriers to prevent injury, i.e. stair gates
2) hypnotics may be of benefit
General
parasomnia
References
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American
College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
- Guilleminault C et al,
Sleepwalking, a disorder of NREM sleep instability.
Sleep Med 2006, 7:163
PMID: 16459139