title: Sleep Forensics: a critical review of the literature and brief comments on the Brazilian legal situation.
abstract: Sleep medicine is a relatively new field among Medical Sciences. Its legal aspects are still obscure, either for lack of knowledge of the biological mechanisms underlying violent behaviour during sleep or the virtual absence of clear legal and uniformly accepted guidelines as to whether to punish or treat those disorders. An updated review of the pertinent literature was performed to determine the most prevalent pathological conditions involving violence and sleep and to identify their most common precipitating factors, attempting to provide some technical support to aid Brazilian medical-experts or assistants in preparing substantial and scientific-based reports in a legal environment.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Distúrbios do Sono, Hospital Universitário de Brasília, Universidade de Brasília, BrasíliaDF, Brazil, Professor of Neurology, MD, PhD, Centro de Distúrbios do Sono, Hospital Universitário de Brasília, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raimundo Nonato
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Delgado-Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: North Central Thames Foundation School, London, England, BA, BMBCH, Foundation Doctor, North Central Thames Foundation School, London, England.
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Supreme Court, BrasíliaDF, Brazil, Judge of Instruction Brazilian Supreme Court, Brasília DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro Galuzzi dos
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Centre, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Schenck
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056508:Sleep Medicine Specialty / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*