title: Polysomnographic assessment of spells in sleep: nocturnal seizures versus parasomnias.
abstract: A dilemma can arise when attempting to distinguish a nocturnal seizure from a parasomnia because both phenomena can be characterized by a general increase in motor and autonomic activity with a transient reduction in the level of consciousness. An additional problem is that an accurate clinical diagnosis generally relies heavily on a detailed history. As sleep related disorders occur at a time when the patient is not fully cognizant, polysomnographic analysis can on occasion supplement for the intrinsic paucity of detailed history. Simultaneously, correlating the clinical and polysomnographic analysis immediately prior to, during, and following an event of interest, can be helpful in differentiating nocturnal seizures from parasomnias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology Sleep Disorders Center, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dyken
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lin-Dyken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020447:Parasomnias / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D020186:Sleep Bruxism / Q000175:diagnosis; D012894:Sleep Stages