Clinical neurophysiology of REM parasomnias.

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), sleep paralysis, and nightmare disorder are the three REM sleep parasomnias. Most neurophysiologic research has focused on RBD, with fewer studies on nightmare disorder or isolated sleep paralysis. Studies primarily used polysomnography (PSG) or animal models to understand pathophysiology, while fewer employed electroencephalography, electromyography outside PSG, evoked potentials, or autonomic assessments. The chapter describes key neurophysiologic findings and their implications.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), sleep paralysis, and nightmare disorder are the three REM sleep parasomnias outlined by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. In this review we address the clinical neurophysiology of these disorders. The majority of neurophysiologic studies have been conducted in RBD, and fewer studies have evaluated patients with nightmare disorder or isolated sleep paralysis. Neurophysiologic studies of REM sleep parasomnias mostly used polysomnography (PSG), or were performed on animals to shed light on the pathophysiology of these disorders. Fewer studies used electoencephalography or electromyography outside the context of PSG, evoked potentials, or autonomic neurophysiologic studies. In this chapter, the main neurophysiologic findings in REM sleep parasomnias are described and their implications and relevance are discussed.