Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Biomed J 2018 Dec 11;41(6):356-363. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Background: to investigate the sleep problems in children with different ADHD presentations and effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on the sleep problems of children with ADHD by both subjective and objective measurements.

Methods: 71 children with ADHD and 30 controls were included. 35 had ADHD with predominantly inattentive presentation (ADHD-I) and 36 with predominantly hyperactive/impulsive or combined presentation (ADHD-C). Read More

Curr Treat Options Neurol 2019 Jan 19;21(1). Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.

Purpose Of Review: Sleep-related movement disorders (SRMD) include several different motor activities during sleep. Few of them are well known and well classified, whereas others are minor motor disorders of sleep which are neither thoroughly characterized and classified nor have been extensively investigated to clarify their pathogenesis and clinical relevance. This review will focus on those minor sleep-related movement disorders. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2019 Jan 7;273:197-205. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

The study objective was to perform a confirmatory factor analysis of the SLEEP-50 Questionnaire (SLEEP-50) in Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder and compare sleep complaints in adults with Trichotillomania, Excoriation Disorder and non-affected controls. Participants were 234 adults with Trichotillomania, 170 with Excoriation Disorder, and 146 non-affected controls. Participants rated sleep using the SLEEP-50 and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Read More

Psychiatry Res 2018 Dec 31;273:37-41. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

Department of Psychiatry, Changhua Christian Hospital, No.135, Nanxiao St., Changhua County 500 Changhua, Taiwan; Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Depression causes sleep disturbance and is associated with various sleep-related disorders. However, how depression affects the symptomatic presentation of different sleep-related disorders is unclear. In this study, we investigated the sleep parameters of different sleep-related disorders between depressive and non-depressive patients. Read More

Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi 2019 Jan;58(1):17-26

Stroke-related sleep disorders (SSD) are common symptoms after stroke, which are common but easily ignored. Studies have shown that sleep disorders in stroke patients would have negative impact on prognosis. However, there is still a lack of consensus and guidance on SSD evaluation and management worldwide. Read More

Nat Sci Sleep 2018 26;10:397-408. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

Background: Although in-lab polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for objective sleep monitoring, the use of at-home sensor systems has gained popularity in recent years. Two categories of monitoring, autonomic and limb movement physiology, are increasingly recognized as critical for sleep disorder phenotyping, yet at-home options remain limited outside of research protocols. The purpose of this study was to validate the BiostampRC sensor system for respiration, electrocardiography (ECG), and leg electromyography (EMG) against gold standard PSG recordings. Read More

Nat Sci Sleep 2018 26;10:337-344. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.

Background: The first night effect (FNE) is a polysomnography (PSG) habituation effect in the first of several consecutive in-laboratory PSGs (I-PSGs). The FNE is caused by the discomfort provoked by electrodes and cables and the exposure to an unfamiliar environment. A reverse FNE (RFNE) with an improved sleep in the first night is characteristic of insomnia, presumably because the video PSG in the sleep laboratory leads to a decrease in the negatively toned cognitive activity. Read More

Sleep 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Helsinki Sleep Clinic, Vitalmed Research Centre, Finland.

Study Objectives: To validate Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale (UNS) as a screening tool for narcolepsy in a clinical population and to compare it with Swiss Narcolepsy Scale (SNS) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

Methods: UNS questionnaires of 267 subjects visiting Helsinki Sleep Clinic were analyzed. The diagnoses of the subjects were narcolepsy type 1 (NT1, n = 89), type 2 (NT2, n = 10), other hypersomnias (n = 24), sleep apnea (n = 37), restless legs or periodic limb movement disorder (n = 56), and other sleep-related disorders (n = 51). Read More

J Neurosci Methods 2019 Jan 20;312:53-64. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.

Background: Documentation of REM sleep without atonia is fundamental for REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) diagnosis. The automated REM atonia index (RAI), Frandsen index (FRI) and Kempfner index (KEI) were proposed for this, but achieved moderate performances.

New Method: Using sleep data from 27 healthy controls (C), 29 RBD patients and 36 patients with periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), we developed and validated a new automated data-driven method for identifying movements in chin and tibialis electromyographic (EMG) signals. Read More

Mov Disord 2019 Jan 23;34(1):67-77. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik, Kassel, Germany.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the annual rate of progression of motor and cognitive symptoms and (2) baseline predictors of different modalities for this progression in early Parkinson's disease (PD) when compared with healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 135 de novo PD and 109 healthy controls (of the De Novo Parkinson cohort) were investigated at baseline and after 24 and 48 months. To delineate motor progression and cognitive decline, the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (MDS-UPDRS III) and the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) were selected. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 07;2018:163-166

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by repetitive limb movements (LM) during night. The gold standard for LM detection consists of visual analysis of tibialis left (TIBL) and right (TIBR) electromyographic (EMG) signals. Such analysis is subjective and time-consuming. Read More

J Sleep Res 2018 Oct 8:e12772. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.

Although video polysomnography (vPSG) is not routinely recommended for the evaluation of typical cases of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias, it can aid diagnosis of unusual cases, other sleep disorders and complicated cases with REM behaviour disorder (RBD), and in differentiating parasomnias from epilepsy. In this study, we aimed to assess vPSG findings in consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of NREM-parasomnia covering the whole phenotypic spectrum. Five hundred and twelve patients with a final diagnosis of NREM parasomnia who had undergone vPSG were retrospectively identified. Read More

Am J Med 2018 Oct 4. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.

Sleep disorders are frequent and can have serious consequences on patients' health and quality of life. While some sleep disorders are more challenging to treat, most can be easily managed with adequate interventions. We review the main diagnostic features of 6 major sleep disorders (insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-disordered breathing, hypersomnia/narcolepsy, parasomnias, and restless legs syndrome/periodic limb movement disorder) to aid medical practitioners in screening and treating sleep disorders as part of clinical practice. Read More

Curr Treat Options Neurol 2018 Sep 27;20(11):46. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

French National Reference Centre for Wilson's Disease, University Hospital Lariboisière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this article was to review the different sleep disorders associated with Wilson's disease (WD), their mechanisms and their treatments.

Recent Findings: Some of these disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder or sleepiness can appear as a prodromal phase phenomenon in WD allowing an early treatment of the disease and sometimes a resolution of the sleep disorder. Sleep disorders in WD are frequent combining insomnia, daytime sleepiness, restless legs syndrome (RLS), cataplexy-like episodes, and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Read More

Psychiatry Res 2018 Jul 6. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, 539747, Singapore.

Difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep, poor sleep quality, nightmares, and excessive daytime sleepiness are some of the key clinical symptoms of sleep disturbances observed among individuals with psychiatric illnesses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of symptoms of sleep disorders including parasomnia, narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorder and restless leg syndrome/periodic limb movement (RLS/PLMS) and its correlates in patients with psychiatric diagnoses. Patients aged 21-65 years (n = 400) attending the outpatient clinics with a primary diagnosis of either schizophrenia, mood or anxiety disorder based on ICD-9 criteria were included in this cross-sectional study. Read More

Rev Neurol (Paris) 2018 Sep - Oct;174(7-8):508-514. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Inserm UMR 1171, Clinical Neurophysiology, Teaching Hospital, Lille University, 1, place de Verdun, 59045 Lille cedex, France. Electronic address:

Correct diagnosis of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is essential to patient care and treatment. Diagnosis is most often clinical and based on diagnostic criteria: the need to move the legs accompanied to varying degrees by unpleasant sensations, predominantly during the evening and improved by movement. In rare cases, clinical examination is insufficient and a polysomnography is necessary. Read More

Sleep 2018 Oct;41(10)

Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Danish Center for Sleep Medicine, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, Denmark.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep without atonia detection is a prerequisite for diagnosis of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). As the visual gold standard method is time-consuming and subjective, several automated methods have been proposed. This study aims to compare their performances: The REM atonia index (RAI), the supra-threshold-REM-activity metric, the Frandsen index, the short/long muscle activity indices, and the Kempfner index algorithms were applied to 27 healthy control participants (C), 25 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) without RBD (PD-RBD), 29 patients with PD and RBD (PD + RBD), 29 idiopathic patients with RBD, and 36 patients with periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). Read More

J Clin Sleep Med 2018 Jul 15;14(7):1231-1237. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Saint Thomas Medical Partners-Sleep Specialists, Nashville, Tennessee.

Introduction: The purpose of this guideline is to establish clinical practice recommendations for the use of actigraphy in adult and pediatric patients with suspected or diagnosed sleep disorders or circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders.

Methods: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) commissioned a task force of experts in sleep medicine to develop recommendations and assigned strengths based on a systematic review of the literature and an assessment of the evidence using the GRADE process. The task force provided a summary of the relevant literature and the quality of evidence, the balance of benefits and harms, patient values and preferences, and resource use considerations that support the recommendations. Read More

J Clin Sleep Med 2018 Jul 15;14(7):1187-1192. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Palo Alto, California.

Study Objectives: A major component of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is disruption of sleep. These disturbances have been reported in the acute phase of diagnosis but it is unknown if these sleep disruptions persist, especially in patients with chronic static symptoms. This retrospective chart review sought to review polysomnography (PSG) tests of patients in whom PANS has been clinically diagnosed in order to assess sleep architecture, periodic limb movements, and presence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep without atonia (RSWA) after a chronic static course of symptoms, which were refractory to immunomodulatory interventions. Read More

Expert Rev Neurother 2018 Jul 25;18(7):523-531. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

a Michigan Medicine Stroke Program , Cardiovascular Center , Ann Arbor , MI , USA.

Introduction: Stroke is a major cause of disability and death in the United States and across the world, and the incidence and prevalence of stroke are expected to rise significantly due to an aging population. Obstructive sleep apnea, an established independent risk factor for stroke, is a highly prevalent disease that is estimated to double the risk of stroke. It remains uncertain whether non-apnea sleep disorders increase the risk of stroke. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 29;9:369. Epub 2018 May 29.

National Center of Epidemiology and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.

Patients with movement disorders have a high prevalence of sleep disturbances that can be classified as (1) nocturnal sleep symptoms, such as insomnia, nocturia, restless legs syndrome (RLS), periodic limb movements (PLM), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and REM sleep behavior disorder; and (2) diurnal problems that include excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sleep attacks. The objective of this review is to provide a practical overview of the most relevant scales that assess these disturbances to guide the choice of the most useful instrument/s depending on the line of research or clinical focus. For each scale, the reader will find a brief description of practicalities and psychometric properties, use in movement disorder cohorts and analyzed strengths and limitations. Read More

Psychogeriatrics 2018 May;18(3):155-165

Division of Sleep Research, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India.

In contrast to newborns, who spend 16-20 h in sleep each day, adults need only about sleep daily. However, many elderly may struggle to obtain those 8 h in one block. In addition to changes in sleep duration, sleep patterns change as age progresses. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2018 4;9:179. Epub 2018 May 4.

Competence Centre of Sleep Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.

To conduct a first detailed analysis of the pattern of leg movement (LM) activity during sleep in adult subjects with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) compared to healthy controls. Fifteen ADHD patients and 18 control subjects underwent an in-lab polysomnographic sleep study. The periodic character of LMs was evaluated with established markers of "periodicity," i. Read More

Pediatr Pulmonol 2018 Jul 15;53(7):917-920. Epub 2018 May 15.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.

Objectives: Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is a children's interstitial and diffuse lung disease of unknown etiology that presents in infancy with characteristic findings of tachypnea, retractions, crackles, and hypoxemia. At the present, the mainstay of treatment is oxygen supplementation to normalize oxygen saturations and decrease work of breathing. There are characteristic pulmonary function, radiographic, and histologic findings, but polysomnography (PSG) data has not been reported. Read More

Nat Sci Sleep 2018 27;10:127-134. Epub 2018 Apr 27.

The Sleep Center, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.

Study Objectives: Periodic limb movements (PLMs) are routinely measured during polysomnogram (PSG) testing. During the early years of sleep testing, physical movements were identified and over time, consensus ultimately led to the current definitions of movement disorders including criteria used to measure PLMs on PSG testing. There has been considerable debate about the clinical importance of the PLMs measured during PSG testing. Read More

Am J Med Genet A 2018 06 25;176(6):1327-1334. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Angelman Syndrome Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Angelman syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder with varying clinical presentations and symptoms as the individual ages. The goal of this study was to characterize changes over time in the natural history of this syndrome in a large population. We reviewed the medical records of the 53 patients who were born prior to 2000 and seen at the Angelman Syndrome Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital to assess neurological, sleep, behavioral, gastrointestinal, orthopedic, and ophthalmologic functioning. Read More

Curr Treat Options Neurol 2018 Apr 20;20(6):16. Epub 2018 Apr 20.

Pôle sommeil et neurologie, Clinique Beau Soleil, 119 avenue de Lodève, 34070, Montpellier, France.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review was to explore the different sleep disorders associated with MSA, their mechanisms, and their treatments.

Recent Findings: Stridor is a red flag for the diagnosis of MSA. Recent findings show that its presence in early stage of the disease is associated with a reduction in life expectancy. Read More

PLoS One 2018 18;13(4):e0195473. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Objective: There is still no consensus on the treatment for periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS). This study aimed to determine the efficacy and tolerability of rotigotine in patients suffering from PLMS.

Methods: Publications listed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, The Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials. Read More

Am J Rhinol Allergy 2018 Mar 23;32(2):94-97. Epub 2018 Mar 23.

4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Background: Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) frequently experience sleep disruption and are at a higher than normal risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The purpose of this study was to determine how CRS affects polysomnography findings and sleep-related breathing in OSA.

Methods: A cohort study was performed that included 107 adult patients with CRS and comorbid OSA (CRS+OSA group) and 137 patients with OSA and without CRS as the control group. Read More

Clin Hypertens 2018 5;24. Epub 2018 Apr 5.

PrimaCare Sleep Center, Somerset, MA 02726 USA.

Background: The data on the association of sleep duration and blood pressure in the pediatric age group have been mixed and most studies have focused on weekday sleep duration. The purpose of this study was to compare the weekday and weekend sleep patterns between children and adolescents with newly diagnosed primary hypertension and a normotensive control group.

Methods: Children and adolescents from a pediatric nephrology clinic, aged 6-18 years with newly diagnosed primary hypertension were compared to an age and sex matched normotensive control group from a general pediatric clinic. Read More

J Clin Sleep Med 2018 Apr 15;14(4):623-629. Epub 2018 Apr 15.

Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Study Objectives: The nature of sleep disorders in children with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is unknown. We aimed to describe the type, the management, and the short-term outcome of sleep disorders in children with EDS referred to sleep clinics.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of medical records and polysomnography tests of children with EDS younger than 18 years who were referred to the sleep clinic. Read More

Eur Neurol 2018 13;79(3-4):171-176. Epub 2018 Mar 13.

Department of Neurology, Haaglanden Medical Center, The Hague, the Netherlands.

Background: Periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) have been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and there is a high prevalence of PLMS found in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We evaluated patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) for PLMS and respiratory related leg movements (RRLM), versus a control group without TIA.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with TIA and 34 patients with no vascular diagnosis were referred for polysomnography. Read More

Neurologist 2018 Mar;23(2):67-70

Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodic limb movements (PLMs) have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There is limited data on the relationship between OSA and PLMs with atrial fibrillation and resistant hypertension in stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients.

Methods: Consecutive stroke and TIA patients referred by a vascular neurologist for diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2015 were included in a retrospective analysis. Read More

J Neurosci Rural Pract 2018 Jan-Mar;9(1):92-99

Department of Medicine, SVIMS, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the quality of sleep, sleep disorders, and polysomnographic profile in Parkinsonism patients from rural areas and to correlate polysomnographic profile with the staging of disease and with sleep questionnaire.

Materials And Methods: Between May 2014 and December 2015, 168 Parkinsonism patients were prospectively screened using sleep questionnaire; Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Parkinson Disease Sleep Score-2 (PDSS-2). Sixty patients underwent overnight polysomnography subsequently. Read More

Sleep Med 2018 Jan 24;41:27-44. Epub 2017 Nov 24.

Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Brain iron deficiency has been implicated in the pathophysiology of RLS, and current RLS treatment guidelines recommend iron treatment when peripheral iron levels are low. In order to assess the evidence on the oral and intravenous (IV) iron treatment of RLS and periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) in adults and children, the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) formed a task force to review these studies and provide evidence-based and consensus guidelines for the iron treatment of RLS in adults, and RLS and PLMD in children.

Methods: A literature search was performed to identify papers appearing in MEDLINE from its inception to July 2016. Read More

Sleep Med Clin 2018 Mar 15;13(1):51-61. Epub 2017 Nov 15.

Neurology Service, Multidisciplinary Sleep Unit, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, C/ Villarroel 180, Barcelona 08036, Spain. Electronic address:

Parasomnias and sleep-related movement disorders are important problems in older adults. Sleep paralysis is rare, but may occur in families. In a minority of patients with disorders of arousal, the episodes persist until the age of 70. Read More

Sleep 2018 04;41(4)

The Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.

Study Objectives: This study investigated the association between driving safety and seven sleep disorders amongst 3541 participants of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) naturalistic driving study.

Methods: SHRP 2 collected naturalistic driving data from participants between 16 and 98 years old by instrumenting participants' vehicles. The analyses used logistic regression to determine the likelihood of crash or near-crash involvement, Poisson log-linear regression to assess crash or near-crash rate, and ordinal logistic regression to assess driver maneuver appropriateness and crash or near-crash severity. Read More

Sleep 2018 03;41(3)

Sleep and Epilepsy Center, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Civic Hospital (EOC) of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.

Study Objectives: To define statistically the upper limit of the intermovement interval (IMI, the time interval between the onset of consecutive movements) of periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS).

Methods: We computed the IMI distribution of a large sample (n = 141) of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and analyzed it with two independent approaches, based on fitting either empirical functions or normal and exponential functions to the data.

Results: The two fitting approaches consistently pointed to an upper limit of the PLMS IMI in the range between 50 and 60 s. Read More

Sleep Med 2017 Dec 13;40:94-102. Epub 2017 Oct 13.

Department of Sleep and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 Amsterdam BA, The Netherlands; Departments of Psychiatry and Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University and Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1187, 1081 Amsterdam HV, The Netherlands.

Background: We examined whether current overall attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), inattention, or hyperactivity symptom severities are associated with the current presence and persistent history of sleep problems.

Methods: N = 942 participants of the Netherlands Sleep Registry filled out online several validated questionnaires. Regression analyses were performed to assess the association between (1) current overall ADHD symptom severity and the current presence of sleep problems, (2) current ADHD symptom-severity groups and the persistent history of sleep problems, and (3) current inattention or hyperactivity symptom severities and the current presence of sleep problems. Read More

Sleep Med 2017 Dec 28;40:23-32. Epub 2017 Sep 28.

The Brain & Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; The Royal's Institute for Mental Health Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: http://socialsciences.uottawa.ca/sleep-lab/.

Periodic limb movements (PLMs) during sleep increase with age and are associated with striatal neurodegeneration and dopamine deficiency. Limb movements are often associated with disruptions to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Motor skill memory consolidation recruits the striatum, and learning-dependent striatal activation is associated with NREM sleep. Read More

J Trauma Stress 2017 12 21;30(6):635-645. Epub 2017 Nov 21.

Mental Health Care Line, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an effortful process requiring engagement in cognitive restructuring. Sleep disorders may lead to avoidance of effortful tasks and cognitive performance deficits. We explored whether sleep disorders, as assessed by polysomnography, were consistently associated with treatment response in combination with other factors. Read More

Pract Neurol 2017 Dec 2;17(6):444-452. Epub 2017 Nov 2.

Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical School, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a chronic neurological disorder that interferes with rest and sleep. It has a wide spectrum of symptom severity, and treatment is started when symptoms become bothersome. Dopamine agonists and calcium channel apha-2-delta antagonists (gabapentin, gabapentin enacarbil and pregabalin) are first-line treatments; calcium channel alpha-2-deltas are preferred over dopamine agonists because they give less augmentation, a condition with symptom onset earlier in the day and intensification of RLS symptoms. Read More

Sleep Med 2017 Dec 24;40:116-121. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

Neurology Service, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Objective: To examine the presence and characteristics of idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (IRBD) in a representative Caucasian sample from the elderly community of Lleida, Spain, attending primary care centers.

Methods: Participants were individuals aged 60 years or older who underwent routine visits in two primary care centers. They underwent a two-stage study; a validated screening single question for IRBD diagnosis (RBD1Q) followed by, in those who endorsed positive answer, clinical assessment by a neurologist plus video-polysomnography (V-PSG). Read More

Sleep Breath 2018 03 16;22(1):51-54. Epub 2017 Oct 16.

Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, SS554bivio Sestu, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.

Purpose: We report a case of firing a loaded gun during sleep in a geriatric patient with undiagnosed major sleep disorders and multiple risk factors for sleep violence. Polysomnographic findings, diagnostic challenges, and forensic implications in this unprecedented geriatric case are discussed.

Methods: A 75-year-old employed man, married for 32 years, presented to a sleep center reporting to having fired a shot in his bedroom during sleep while his wife was away, without memory of hearing the gunshot. Read More

Nat Sci Sleep 2017 21;9:227-239. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder that has a massive, long-lasting negative impact on the patients as well as society. While positive symptoms (i.e. Read More

Rev Neurol 2017 Oct;65(7):289-294

Hospital Clinico San Carlos, 28035 Madrid, Espana.

Introduction: Sleep disorders are highly prevalent among the general population, although very few cases of sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (SAHS) have been reported in patients with narcolepsy. This study reviews the sleep disorders found in patients with narcolepsy, the prevalence of SAHS associated with these patients and their response to the different treatments.

Patients And Methods: We conducted an observation-based retrospective descriptive analysis of 25 patients diagnosed with narcolepsy, who were treated in our centre between October 2012 and December 2016. Read More

J Sleep Res 2017 12 5;26(6):675-700. Epub 2017 Sep 5.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

This European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia was developed by a task force of the European Sleep Research Society, with the aim of providing clinical recommendations for the management of adult patients with insomnia. The guideline is based on a systematic review of relevant meta-analyses published till June 2016. The target audience for this guideline includes all clinicians involved in the management of insomnia, and the target patient population includes adults with chronic insomnia disorder. Read More

Semin Neurol 2017 08 24;37(4):439-445. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Paediatr Drugs 2018 Feb;20(1):9-17

Sleep Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) are under-recognized sleep disorders in children and adolescents. Several recent epidemiological studies have shown that RLS and PLMD are common in the pediatric population, and if left untreated, may lead to cardiovascular and neurocognitive consequences. Therefore, early diagnosis and intervention may help preventing long-term consequences. Read More

Sleep Breath 2018 03 18;22(1):131-138. Epub 2017 Aug 18.

Department of Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik, West German Lung Center, University Hospital Essen, University-Duisburg Essen, Essen, Germany.

Purpose: Recent studies found that the non-contact screening device SleepMinder (ResMed Sensor Technologies, Dublin, Ireland) detects sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) with high diagnostic accuracy in cohorts suspected of this disorder. However, it was reported that in patients with periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS), this non-contact device overestimates the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). We aimed to overcome this limitation by introducing the novel sleep disorder index (SDI) which is sum of the AHI and the period limb movement index (PLMI). Read More