Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations: pathological phenomena?
Maurice Ohayon, R G Priest, M Caulet, C Guilleminault
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science October 1, 1996 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.169.4.459 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4,972 |
| Population | General population of the UK aged 15-100 |
| Key findings | Hypnagogic hallucinations were reported by 37% and hypnopompic hallucinations by 12.5% of the general population, far exceeding the prevalence of narcolepsy (0.04%). |
Abstract
Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are common in narcolepsy. However, the prevalence of these phenomena in the general population is uncertain. A representative community sample of 4972 people in the UK, aged 15-100, was interviewed by telephone (79.6% of those contacted). Interviews were performed by lay interviewers using a computerised system that guided the interviewer through the interview process. Thirty-seven per cent of the sample reported experiencing hypnagogic hallucinations and 12.5% reported hypnopompic hallucinations. Both types of hallucinations were significantly more common among subjects with symptoms of insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness or mental disorders. According to this study, the prevalence of narcolepsy in the UK is 0.04%. Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations were much more common than expected, with a prevalence that far exceeds that which can be explained by the association with narcolepsy. Hypnopompic hallucinations may be a better indicator of narcolepsy than hypnagogic hallucinations in subjects reporting excessive daytime sleepiness.