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Query: UMLS:C0036572 (seizures)
 80,221 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We evaluated the utility of accurate clinical and electrophysiologic characterization in the diagnosis of the rhythmic movement disorder. Seven children with an age range of 1-12 years, referred for evaluation of relatively violent nocturnal behaviors, were clinically assessed during split-screen, video-polysomnographic monitoring sessions, as they experienced unusual nocturnus movements. Differential diagnoses included self-injurious waking behaviors, seizures, and parasomnias such as somnambulism (sleepwalking), pavor nocturnus (night terrors), and the rhythmic movement disorder (headbanging, bodyrocking, and legbanging). The character of movements, level of responsiveness, and electrophysiologic stage of sleep was determined during typical spells. In all the subjects experienced 37 periods of headbanging, bodyrocking, and legbanging that were strongly associated with stage 2 non-rapid eye movement sleep and K-complexes. The patients were unresponsive during and amnestic for the events. Because the differential for the rhythmic movement disorder includes a large number of disorders associated with abnormal and at times violent nocturnal movements, diagnosis can be greatly enhanced by documenting suspected nocturnal behaviors with thorough clinical assessment during split-screen, video-polysomnographic analysis.
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PMID:Diagnosing rhythmic movement disorder with video-polysomnography. 904 99

Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) has been delineated as a distinct syndrome in the heterogeneous group of paroxysmal sleep-related disturbances. The variable duration and intensity of the seizures distinguish three non-rapid eye movement-related subtypes: paroxysmal arousals, characterized by brief and sudden recurrent motor paroxysmal behaviour; nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia, motor attacks with complex dystonic-dyskinetic features; and episodic nocturnal wanderings, stereotyped, agitated somnambulism. We review the clinical and polysomnographic data related to 100 consecutive cases of NFLE in order to define the clinical and neurophysiological characteristics of the different seizure types that constitute NFLE. NFLE seizures predominate in males (7:3). Age at onset of the nocturnal seizures varies, but centres during infancy and adolescence. A familial recurrence of the epileptic attacks is found in 25% of the cases, while 39% of the patients present a family history of nocturnal paroxysmal episodes that fit the diagnostic criteria for parasomnias. A minority of cases (13%) have personal antecedents (such as birth anoxia, febrile convulsions) or brain CT or MRI abnormalities (14%). In many patients, ictal (44%) and interictal (51%) EEGs are uninformative. Marked autonomic activation is a common finding during the seizures. NFLE does not show a tendency to spontaneous remission. Carbamazepine completely abolishes the seizures in approximately 20% of the cases and gives remarkable relief (reduction of the seizures by at least 50%) in another 48%. VideoEEG recordings confirm that NFLE comprises a spectrum of distinct phenomena, different in intensity but representing a continuum of the same epileptic condition. We believe that the detailed clinical and videoEEG characterization of patients with NFLE represents the first step towards a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and different clinical outcomes of the various seizure types that constitute the syndrome.
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PMID:Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. A clinical and polygraphic overview of 100 consecutive cases. 1035 56

Parasomnias emerging from NREM sleep such as sleep walking, sleep terrors and confusional arousals are considered arousal disorders. Nocturnal video-polysomnography is the gold standard to diagnosing and differentiating parasomnias from other arousals with atypical motor behaviors such as nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE). This form of nocturnal seizures with prominent dystonic-dyskinetic components, in some cases genetic, has been recently identified by means of detailed video-analysis of movements during sleep. The clinical picture of parasomnias (with onset in early childhood, rare episodes of long duration, absence of stereotypy, general disappearance after puberty) is different from that of NFLE (which first occurs between the age of 10 and 20, manifests frequent complex and repetitive behaviors of short duration excluding rare prolonged seizures, nocturnal agitation, some daytime complaints such as fatigue or sleepiness, persistence into adulthood). Patients show no difference from classical sleep parameters whilst microstructure analysis shows sleep instability and arousal fluctuations in parasomnias and NFLE. In children as well, at least in our experience, the differential diagnosis between the two disorders is difficult and requires one or more complete nocturnal video-polygraphic recording. In any case the diagnosis of NFLE should be considered in children with nocturnal motor episodes or nocturnal motor agitation, when the attacks persist; this diagnosis is probably more frequent than expected.
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PMID:NREM parasomnias: arousal disorders and differentiation from nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. 1099 66

The category of common sleep disorders known as parasomnias includes disorders of arousal, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), nocturnal seizures, rhythmic movement disorder, and tooth grinding or 'bruxism'. Parasomnias are all characterised as undesirable physical or behavioural phenomena occurring during the sleep period. Although these conditions can be distressing and, in some cases, hazardous to the sleeper and his or her bed partner, it is important to recognise that parasomnias are diagnosable and treatable in the vast majority of patients. Evaluation begins with a careful clinical interview with the sleeper and a family member to elucidate the frequency, duration, description and timing after sleep onset of these behavioural events. Disorders of arousal are the most common type of parasomnia and cover a spectrum from calm sleepwalking to emotionally agitated or complex behaviours, such as dressing or driving, for which the patient usually has no memory upon awaking. 'Sleep terrors' are quite common in young children and are often outgrown. Disorders of arousal represent a partial, as opposed to a full, awakening from deep non-REM sleep, typically occurring within the first 60 to 90 minutes after sleep onset. RBD is characterised clinically by a history of dream-enacting behaviour, and the patient may recall dream content. REM sleep periods typically occur in the latter half of the night. Physiologically, RBD results from a lack of the normal muscle atonia that is associated with REM sleep. RBD has been linked to a number of other neurological conditions; thus, a careful review of systems and a physical examination are crucial. A formal laboratory sleep study or polysomnogram with an expanded electroencephalographic montage can help distinguish among non-REM and REM parasomnias and nocturnal seizures. The latter may manifest clinically as arousals from sleep associated with vocalisation and/or complex behaviours. Rhythmic movement disorder can include head banging or body rocking at sleep onset or during the night. Tooth grinding is a common sleep-related behaviour that, when severe, can result in dental injury. Hypnagogic hallucinations (experience of dream imagery at sleep onset) and sleep-onset paralysis (experience of muscle/body paralysis as one is falling asleep) are symptoms rather than diagnostic categories. These phenomena classically occur in many individuals with narcolepsy, but also may occur in healthy sleep-deprived individuals. Safety precautions and good general sleep hygiene measures are recommended for individuals with a parasomnia, as the disorder can be exacerbated by sleep deprivation and various other factors. When the events are frequent or particularly dramatic, medication with a long- or medium-acting benzodiazepine, such as clonazepam, at bedtime is effective therapy in most cases of non-REM disorders of arousal and RBD. A dental guard may be helpful in tooth grinders. Relaxation training and guided imagery may be helpful strategies for some patients, especially those with disorders of arousal or rhythm movement disorders. There is no evidence of any association between parasomnias and psychiatric illness. Demystification of these conditions and reassurance, particularly for parents of paediatric patients, is an important aspect of clinical intervention.
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PMID:Parasomnias: epidemiology and management. 1242 Nov 14

Non-rapid eye movement parasomnias are unique physical or experiential phenomena that disrupt sleep. Non-rapid eye movement parasomnias are common in children, but they typically outgrow them. Sleep-stage shifts caused by sleep-disordered breathing and associated arousals may be precipitating events for episodes of parasomnia. Seizure disorders should always be considered in the differential diagnosis for the evaluation of parasomnias. Violent or injurious sleepwalking should be rapidly evaluated and treated.
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PMID:Non-Rapid Eye Movement Parasomnias. 1515 10

Sleep is known to be severely altered in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Furthermore, sleep deprivation is one of the key factors contributing to cognitive deficits and drug resistance in TLE. In the past, "non-ictal" parasomnias, as well as parasomnia-like nocturnal episodes ultimately diagnosed as seizures, have been documented in epileptic patients. However, recurrence of possibly "ictal" parasomnias in TLE has not been adequately appreciated. Through questionnaires and diaries distributed to TLE patients and their families in a tertiary center for epilepsy, 20 out of 168 patients seen in the last 2 years have been identified as, probands and extensively recorded during sleep. Patients presented with confusional arousals were 16, 14 with nightmares, and 2 with sleep walking episodes. Episodes (25) corresponding to clinical or subclinical seizures have been video-polygraphically recorded in 10/20 patients. Therapy optimization, pharmacological or surgical, resolved the episodes in 17/20 patients. A better seizure control with improved quality of life can be achieved by increasing and extending the practice of nocturnal recording in TLE patients.
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PMID:Recurrent nightmares and disorders of arousal in temporal lobe epilepsy. 1524 63

Most violent behaviors arise from wakefulness. It is important to realize that violent behaviors that may have forensic science implications can arise from the sleep period. By virtue of the fact that these behaviors arise from sleep, they are executed without conscious awareness, and, therefore, without culpability. The most common underlying conditions arising from sleep are disorders of arousal (sleepwalking and sleep terrors), the rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and nocturnal seizures. In addition, there are a number of psychiatric conditions (dissociative disorders, malingering, and Munchausen syndrome by proxy) that actually arise from periods of wakefulness occurring during the sleep period. The clinical and medico-legal evaluation of such cases is outlined, and should be performed by a multidisciplinary team of experienced sleep medicine practitioners.
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PMID:Sleep-related violence. 1574 54

The authors review the literature on the epidemiology, the clinical and electrophysiological symptoms of somnambulism. The disorder specified as "nREM parasomnia with awakening disorder" belongs to the nREM sleep (awakening) parasomnias. In most of the cases its occurence is familial with the highest prevalence at age 12 year. Above age 12 year most cases recover whereas 6% of prevalence is reported in adults. It is probable that most patients seek medical help only in severe cases associated with injuries, accidents or violence. Its etiology is unknown; in essence it is a sleep regulation disorder characterised by a dissociated state of partial awakening from nREM sleep: the motor system becomes awake while consciousness remains clouded. There are several medicines inducing somnambulism in patients otherwise free from this disorder. In somnambule patients the most important provoking factors are sleep deprivation as well as pathological states and circumstances evoking sleep loss. Somnambulism should be differentiated from complex partial epileptic seizures and REM behaviour disorder. As there is no specific treatment at the moment it is important to assure safe sleeping circumstances - ground flour, closed windows, and no fragile furniture. Clonazepam and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors prove sometimes effective, but the most effective methods in decreasing the frequency of somnambule episodes are the regular sleep-wakefulness schedule and the avoidance of sleep deprivation.
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PMID:[Somnambulism: clinical and eletrophysiological aspects]. 1598 17

Clinical observations have established that certain parts of the brain are essential for consciousness whereas other parts are not. For example, different areas of the cerebral cortex contribute different modalities and submodalities of consciousness, whereas the cerebellum does not, despite having even more neurons. It is also well established that consciousness depends on the way the brain functions. For example, consciousness is much reduced during slow wave sleep and generalized seizures, even though the levels of neural activity are comparable or higher than in wakefulness. To understand why this is so, empirical observations on the neural correlates of consciousness need to be complemented by a principled theoretical approach. Otherwise, it is unlikely that we could ever establish to what extent consciousness is present in neurological conditions such as akinetic mutism, psychomotor seizures, or sleepwalking, and to what extent it is present in newborn babies and animals. A principled approach is provided by the information integration theory of consciousness. This theory claims that consciousness corresponds to a system's capacity to integrate information, and proposes a way to measure such capacity. The information integration theory can account for several neurobiological observations concerning consciousness, including: (i) the association of consciousness with certain neural systems rather than with others; (ii) the fact that neural processes underlying consciousness can influence or be influenced by neural processes that remain unconscious; (iii) the reduction of consciousness during dreamless sleep and generalized seizures; and (iv) the time requirements on neural interactions that support consciousness.
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PMID:Consciousness, information integration, and the brain. 1618 19

Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy is a syndromic entity that includes paroxysmal episodes with variable semeiology, intensity and duration, representing different aspects of the same epileptic condition. In a large series studied by videopolysomnographic recording at the Department of Neurological Sciences in Bologna, we disclosed four main semeiological patterns: the paroxysmal arousals, brief simple motor phenomena, similar to a sudden arousal, recurring several times per night; the hypermotor seizures, more complex motor episodes with violent motor behaviour, vocalisation, screaming, fearful and repetitive movements of the trunk and limbs; asymmetric, bilateral tonic seizures, which can evoke the seizures from the frontal mesial area; and epileptic nocturnal wanderings, which can mimic sleepwalking episodes.
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PMID:Hyperkinetic manifestations in nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Semeiological features and physiopathological hypothesis. 1633 98


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