[Arousal and motor activity during sleep]

To describe different types of motor activity which occur during sleep in relation to episodes of arousal and sleep disorder.

During sleep, normal motor activity should be distinguished from paroxystic episodes: parasomnias; abnormal movements such as nocturnal paroxystic dystonia, which is very similar to epilepsy of frontal origin; nocturnal epileptic crises and especially periodic movements of the limbs and the restless legs syndrome, which is related to it. Physiological cyclical fluctuations of sleep are common to all these conditions and due to cortico-subcortical changes in excitability.

We review diagnostic, clinical and neurophysiological criteria and aspects of physiopathology and treatment.