REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Essay -- Neurology Sleeping Papers

Our aw beness of the complexity of eternal rest expanded in 1953 with the discovery of rapid-eye-movement (rapid eye movement) relief by Aserinsky and Kleitman. Sleep was no longer considered a homogenous state, but rather a projectile process of cycling between two distinct states, non-rapid eye movement and REM sleep. nether normal circumstances the boundaries between non-REM, REM and wakefulness are salutary declared. Dissociative sleep disorders involve a breakdown of these boundaries (Mahowald and Schenck 1992), and provide a unique window on the neurophysiological mechanisms responsible for each state. Narcolepsy, a disorder of the boundary between wakefulness and REM sleep, is probably the virtually studied disorder of this nature. The following is a review of another lately described REM sleep boundary disorder called REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD is characterized by the acting-out of violent dreams during REM sleep, often with baneful consequences (Schenck et al. 1986, 1987). As with narcolepsy, RBD involves a dissociation of REM sleep phenomena and their underlying mechanisms, accordingly providing yet another opportunity to broaden our understanding of the complexity of sleep. A brief discussion of REM sleep phenomenology is required before proceeding. REM sleep is characterized by specific phenomena that distinguish it from non-REM sleep and wakefulness (Siegel 1994). These phenomena are grouped according to whether their occurrence is tonic (occurring throughout REM) or phasic (occurring intermittently during REM). Tonic phenomena include, low-voltage desynchronized electroencephalogram (EEG), hippocampal theta rhythm, electromyographic (EMG) atonia, olfactory bulb activity, high foreplay threshold, elevated brain temperature, poikilothermia, and penile ... ...REM sleep components in cats integrity of the pedunculopontine tegmentum (PPT) is principal(prenominal) for phasic events but unnecessary for atonia during REM sleep. Brain Res., 571 50-63. Siegel, J. M. 1994. Brainstem mechanisms generating REM sleep. In Kryger, M. H., Roth, T. and Dement, W. C. eds. Principles and practice of sleep medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia WB Saunders, pp. 125-144. Sugano, T., Suenaga, K., Endo, S., et al. 1980. Withdrawal furor in a patient with nitrazepam addictio. Jpn. J EEG EMG, 8 34-35. Tachibana, M., Tanaka, K., Hishikawa, Y. and Kaneko, Z. 1975. A sleep study of acute psychotic states due to alcohol and meprobamate addiction. Advances in Sleep Research, 2177-205. Wright, B. A., Rosen, J. R., Buysse, D. J. et al. 1990. Shy-Drager syndrome presenting as a REM behavioural disorder. J. Geriatric Psychiat. Neurol., 3110-113.