Focal epileptic seizures mimicking sleep paralysis
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Published on: December 22, 2016
Carlo Andrea Galimberti1, Maria Ossola, Silvia Colnaghi
1Epilepsy Centre, IRCCS C. Mondino Institute of Neurology Foundation, Via Mondino, 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy. carloandrea.galimberti@mondino.it
Abstract:
Sleep paralysis (SP) is a common parasomnia. The diagnostic criteria for SP, as reported in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, are essentially clinical, as electroencephalography (EEG)-polysomnography (PSG) is not mandatory. We describe a subject whose sleep-related events fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for SP, even though her visual hallucinations were elementary, repetitive and stereotyped, thus differing from those usually reported by patients with SP. Video/EEG-PSG documented the focal epileptic nature of the SP-like episodes.
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