Conscious experiences during non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnias
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 16, 2024 Anna Castelnovo, Francesca Siclari, Sara Spaggiari et al. 12 citations
Disorders of Arousal (DOA), traditionally considered unconscious states, may involve conscious experiences more often than previously thought. A narrative review of the literature finds that about 50-60% of adults recall conscious experiences immediately after a DOA episode, while children have a lower recall rate (under 30% when interviewed retrospectively). Patient reports range from brief scenic fragments to elaborate scenarios with plot development, often involving negative emotions and misfortunes, and there is considerable correspondence between subjective experiences and observed behaviors. In many cases, patients appear to enact their dreams, entering a hallucinatory state where internally generated images overlay external percepts. The review discusses implications for clinical management, research, and legal considerations regarding nocturnal violence.