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Night sleep in patients with vegetative state.
Yuri G Pavlov1,2, Steffen Gais1, Friedemann Müller3
1Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Journal of Sleep Research
|April 27, 2017
Summary
Most patients in a vegetative state (unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) show some sleep patterns, but these are often severely disturbed with frequent wakefulness. Further research is needed to understand these sleep disturbances.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- The vegetative state, now termed unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS), presents significant challenges in assessing consciousness and neurological function.
- Understanding sleep patterns in UWS patients is crucial for evaluating brain activity and potential for recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of sleep architecture in patients diagnosed with vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome.
- To compare sleep patterns in UWS patients with normative sleep data.
Main Methods:
- Polysomnographic recordings of night sleep were conducted on 15 UWS patients.
- Sleep scoring was performed by three independent raters and validated using spectral power analysis of EEG, EOG, and EMG data.
Main Results:
- Thirteen patients showed signs of sleep, with N1, N2, N3, and REM sleep stages detected in 13, 14, 9, and 10 patients, respectively.
- While three patients displayed normal sleep phenomena (spindles, REM), the majority exhibited severely disturbed sleep patterns, including frequent and prolonged wakefulness.
- Sleep spindles were infrequent, and rapid eye movements were sometimes absent during apparent REM sleep episodes.
Conclusions:
- The majority of UWS patients retain some circadian sleep-wake changes, indicating residual neurological function.
- Sleep patterns in UWS patients are significantly disturbed compared to healthy individuals.
- Further research is required to identify factors influencing sleep disturbances in UWS and their implications.
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