Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2026

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
Published on: September 22, 2020
Parasomnias: sleepwalking and the law
Mark W. Mahowald1, Carlos H. Schenck
1Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center, and Departments of Psychiatry (CHS) and Neurology (MWM), Hennepin County Medical Center and the University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Abstract:
A recent, well-publicized case in which murder during sleepwalking was offered as a defense, underscores the fact that sleep medicine specialists are asked to render opinions or judgements regarding culpability in legal cases regarding violence claimed to have arisen from sleepwalking episodes. This review addresses this difficult issue from scientific, clinical and legal aspects, with emphasis upon the need for further research, calling for close collaboration between the legal and medical (both clinical and basic science) professions.
Related Concept Videos
Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...
Narcolepsy
Restless Leg Syndrome and Night Terrors
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate muscle movement. Imbalances in dopamine levels...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
Sleep-Wake Cycles
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Sleep Apnea
The condition is more prevalent among...

