Violent somnambulism: a parasomnia of young men with stereotyped dream-like experiences.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize a subgroup of arousal parasomnias associated with violent behavior in adults.


METHODS
A pilot study on clinical and polysomnographic data of 13 adult patients seen in a tertiary sleep center for the suspicion of arousal parasomnia associated with violence.


RESULTS
Nine young patients (8 males 1 female) had a common pattern of abnormalities: similar 'claustrophobic' dream-like experiences and complex, vehement dream enactments; no REM sleep without atonia on polysomnography. We call this syndrome 'violent somnambulism'. The rest of the patients had alcoholic delirium, partial epilepsy, possible REM sleep behavior disorder and a single sleep walking episode provoked by a sleeping pill.
Sleep related violence needs thorough diagnostic evaluation for preventing life-threatening consequences. Violent somnambulism appears to be a distinct NREM sleep-related overlap parasomnia.
National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: szucsan@gmail.com.
Anna
A
Szűcs
National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary.
Anita
A
Kamondi
Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, Hungary.
Rezső
R
Zoller
National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary.
Gábor
G
Barcs
Institute of Psychology, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
Pál
P
Szabó
Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, Hungary.
György
G
Purebl
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012895:Sleep, REM; D013009:Somnambulism; D014754:Violence