Background: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by loss of normal muscle atonia during REM sleep, often associated with dream enactment behaviors, and is typically a prodromal neurodegenerative condition in middle-aged and older adults. However, emerging case reports and case series suggest that not all RBD presentations follow this trajectory, particularly in younger...
Abstract Background: Visual input is thought to influence spatial cognition and language. While blind individuals often rely on egocentric spatial representations, it remains unclear whether and how visual deprivation affects dream-related language. This study applied speech graph analysis (SGA) to investigate linguistic differences in dream reports from congenitally blind (CB), late blind...
Non-REM (NREM) parasomnias comprise abnormal sleep-related behaviors, autonomic nervous system function, and emotional experiences that typically arise out of deep NREM sleep. Categorized broadly as disorders of arousal (DoA), confusional arousals (CoA), sleepwalking (SW), and sleep terrors (ST) share common pathophysiological mechanisms and contributing factors. Sexsomnia is classified as a...
Disorders of Arousal (DOA) are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias traditionally regarded as unconscious states. However, recent research challenges this assumption. This narrative review aims to explore the presence and qualitative features of conscious experiences in patients with DOA during their episodes. The literature indicates a higher recall of conscious experiences during DOA...
Introduction Chronic nightmares are a common and disabling feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for which broadly effective treatments are still lacking. While imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) demonstrates benefits for patients with idiopathic nightmares and some patients with PTSD-related nightmares, research indicates it may be less beneficial for veterans. Narrative therapy (NT) is...
Recent studies have begun to understand sleep not only as a whole-brain process but also as a complex local phenomenon controlled by specific neurotransmitters that act in different neural networks, which is called "local sleep". Moreover, the basic states of human consciousness-wakefulness, sleep onset (N1), light sleep (N2), deep sleep (N3), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-can concurrently...
The states of being are conventionally defined by the simultaneous occurrence of behavioral, neurophysiological and autonomic descriptors. State dissociation disorders are due to the intrusion of features typical of a different state into an ongoing state. Disorders related to these conditions are classified according to the ongoing main state and comprise: 1) Dissociation from prevailing...
Sleep is clearly not only a whole-brain or global phenomenon, but can also be a local phenomenon. This accounts for the fact that the primary states of being (wakefulness, NREM sleep, and REM sleep) are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and components of these states may appear in various combinations, with fascinating clinical consequences. Examples include: sleep inertia, narcolepsy, sleep...
Four men, aged 67-72 years, had 4-month to 6-year histories of injuring themselves or their spouses with aggressive behaviors during sleep, often during attempted dream enactment. A 60-year-old woman had disruptive though nonviolent sleep and dream behaviors. Polysomnography did not detect seizures but did document REM sleep pathology with variable loss of chin atonia, extraordinarily increased...