title: Paroxysmal arousals during sleep.
abstract: Six patients complained of distressing sudden awakenings with abnormal motor activity during sleep causing insomnia. Polysomnography showed paroxysmal short-lasting arousals during NREM, especially slow-wave sleep, associated with complex movements and autonomic activation. Ictal and interictal EEG never showed epileptic discharges except in 1 patient who also had a tonic-clonic seizure during sleep. Carbamazepine was the only effective medication in 2 patients. Paroxysmal arousals represent a sleep disturbance that may be related to deep epileptic foci.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montagna
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tinuper
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cirignotta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lugaresi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012008:Recurrence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*