[Sleep disorders in neurological diseases].

Area of Science:

• Neurology and Sleep Medicine
• Clinical Neuroscience

Context:

• Sleep disorders are prevalent, affecting approximately 15% of the population, with increasing incidence in older adults.
• The link between sleep disorders and neurological conditions is often overlooked in clinical practice.
• Sleep disorders can manifest as early symptoms or primary features of various neurological diseases.

Purpose:

• To review the primary sleep disorders and their specific associations with neurological diseases.
• To highlight how sleep disorders influence the symptoms and progression of neurological conditions.
• To emphasize the importance of considering sleep disorders in the differential diagnosis of neurological diseases.

Summary:

• Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is identified as an early indicator of neurodegenerative diseases.
• Conditions such as restless legs syndrome (RLS), periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), and narcolepsy are presented as key neurological syndromes characterized by sleep disturbances.
• The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-2) diagnoses, including insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-related breathing disorders, and hypersomnia, are discussed in the context of their co-occurrence with neurological diseases.
• Parasomnias are noted as important differential diagnoses for nocturnal epilepsy.

Impact:

• Integrating sleep disorder assessment into neurological practice can lead to earlier disease detection.
• Understanding the interplay between sleep and neurological disorders can improve patient management and outcomes.
• This review underscores the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat patients with co-existing sleep and neurological conditions.