Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 24, 2026
Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Features of sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis patients
Rytis Leonavicius1, Virginija Adomaitiene
1Clinic of Psychiatry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu str. 2, LT-50009 Kaunas, Lithuania, rytis.leo@gmail.com.
Background:
Sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis (MS) have received little research attention despite the potential influence it may have on the impact of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in a Lithuanian community sample of individuals with the relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and its relation with depression, anxiety, and health related quality of life (HRQoL).
Subjects And Methods:
The examined group consisted of 137 RRMS outpatients. The following questionnaires were used: the original socio-demographic questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOSS) measure, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and HRQoL measure. The relationship of objective sleep disturbances was evaluated with multivariate linear regression, adjusted to socio-demographic and clinical data.
Results:
Sleep disturbances were present in 45.3 percent of patients. According to the HADS-D, depressive symptoms were present in 21.9 percent, according to the HADS-A, anxiety symptoms were present in 19.7 percent of study participants. Mean value of Physical and Mental component of HRQoL respectively constituted 40.4 and 44.5. We observed the relationship between sleep disturbances and gender, age, EDSS, prevalence of depression and anxiety, and Physical and Mental component of HRQoL.
Conclusions:
Our research was limited by narrow number of study participants and could be accepted only as preliminary study. The study investigated only RRMS patients, therefore investigation of other clinical forms of MS could provide more exhaustive data related with sleep disturbances. The investigation included only outpatients group, therefore research of inpatients could provide more comprehensive data. Sleep disturbances in our study were common in RRMS, and they related with female gender, older age, higher disability status, prevalence of depression and anxiety, and worse HRQoL. The treatable causes of sleep disturbances in RRMS should be identified and cured. However, further research are requested to confirm these findings.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
01:19Management of Insomnia
01:17Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
01:27Restless 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...