Transitory sleep spindles impairment in deep cerebral venous thrombosis

Sleep spindles may be affected by thalamic or hemispheric ischemic stroke. However, spindles reduction and their relationship with K-complexes following deep cerebral venous thrombosis have not been reported. An 18-year-old woman suffered from a deep cerebral venous thrombosis with vasogenic oedema located predominantly in the thalami. Stage 2 sleep EEG recorded in acute setting showed preservation of K-complexes but absent 12-14 Hz sleep spindles, which were replaced by spindle-like theta oscillations. One month later, the patient having completely recovered, sleep spindles were normally seen on the control EEG. This case illustrates that deep cerebral venous thrombosis, through a vasogenic oedema, may transiently affect thalamic functions such as spindles generation. Furthermore, thalamic impairment may lead to dissociation of spindle and K-complex activity.