Sleep paralysis in medieval Persia - the Hidayat of Akhawayni (?-983 AD).
Among the first three manuscripts written in Persian, Akhawayni's Hidayat al-muta'allemin fi al-tibb was the most significant work compiled in the 10th century. Along with the hundreds of chapters on hygiene, anatomy, physiology, symptoms and treatments of the diseases of various organs, there is a chapter on sleep paralysis (night-mare) prior to description and treatment of epilepsy. The present article is a review of the Akhawayni's teachings on sleep paralysis and of descriptions and treatments of sleep paralysis by the Greek, medieval, and Renaissance scholars. Akhawayni's descriptions along with other early writings provide insight into sleep paralysis during the Middle Ages in general and in Persia in particular.
Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Samad Ej
SE
Golzari
Kazem
K
Khodadoust
Farid
F
Alakbarli
Kamyar
K
Ghabili
Ziba
Z
Islambulchilar
Mohammadali M
MM
Shoja
Majid
M
Khalili
Feridoon
F
Abbasnejad
Niloufar
N
Sheikholeslamzadeh
Nasrollah Moghaddam
NM
Shahabi
Seyed Fazel
SF
Hosseini
Khalil
K
Ansarin