Somnambulism (Sleep Walking) Workup

  • Author: Gregory Ackroyd, MD; Chief Editor: Selim R Benbadis, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 25, 2010
 

Laboratory Studies

No specific laboratory studies are indicated in the workup of routine parasomnias.

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Other Tests

  • Polysomnogram with or without multiple sleep latency testing should be reserved for the few cases in which the diagnosis is still unclear after a careful history and physical. The abnormal behavior during SWS is generally diagnostic. Sleep deprivation can be used as a tool to induce somnambulistic episodes in the sleep laboratory.
  • Microarousals and sleep state disorganization are observed frequently and often noted on EEG alone, if performed during nocturnal sleep.
  • Hypersynchronous slow delta-wave activity has been observed in the sleep electroencephalogram of sleepwalkers; however, controversy remains regarding these findings on polysomnography.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Gregory Ackroyd, MD  Consulting Staff, North Bay Sleep Medicine Institute

Gregory Ackroyd, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

O'Neill F D'Cruz, MD  Professor, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Director, Pediatric Sleep Program, University of North Carolina

O'Neill F D'Cruz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Medical Association, Child Neurology Society, and North Carolina Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Stephen J Sharp, MD  Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland

Stephen J Sharp, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Child Neurology Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Anthony M Murro, MD  Laboratory Director, Professor, Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia

Anthony M Murro, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD  Senior Associate Consultant, Department of Child and Adolescent Neurology, Mayo Clinic

Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Neuroscience

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Selim R Benbadis, MD  Professor, Director of Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of South Florida School of Medicine, Tampa General Hospital

Selim R Benbadis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, American Epilepsy Society, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: UCB Pharma Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Lundbeck Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Cyberonics Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Glaxo Smith Kline Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Ortho McNeil Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Pfizer Honoraria Speaking, consulting; Sleepmed/DigiTrace Speaking, consulting

References

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  15. Rosen GM, Mahowald MW, Ferber R. Sleepwalking, confusional arousals, and sleep terrors in the child. In: Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine in the Child. 1995:99-106.

  16. Stores G. Practitioner review: assessment and treatment of sleep disorders in children and adolescents. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. Nov 1996;37(8):907-25. [Medline].

  17. Wise MS. Parasomnias in children. Pediatr Ann. Jul 1997;26(7):427-33. [Medline].

  18. Zucconi M, Oldani A, Ferini-Strambi L, et al. Nocturnal paroxysmal arousals with motor behaviors during sleep: frontal lobe epilepsy or parasomnia?. J Clin Neurophysiol. Nov 1997;14(6):513-22. [Medline].

 
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