Serotonergic hypothesis of sleepwalking.
Despite widespread prevalence of sleepwalking, its etiology and pathophysiology are not well understood. However, there is some evidence that sleepwalking can be precipitated by sleep-disordered breathing. A hypothesis is proposed that serotonergic system may be a link between sleep-disordered breathing and sleepwalking. Serotonergic neurons meet basic requirements for such a role because they are activated by hypercapnia, provide a tonic excitatory drive that gates afferent inputs to motoneurons, and the activity of serotonergic neurons can be dissociated from the level of arousal. This paper discusses also drug-induced somnambulism and co-occurrence of sleepwalking and other disorders such as migraine and febrile illness.
Juszczak
Grzegorz R
GR
Department of Animal Behavior, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, 05-552 Wolka Kosowska, Poland. g.juszczak@ighz.pl
Swiergiel
Artur H
AH
D001143:Arousal; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013009:Somnambulism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D012701:Serotonin