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Disorders of Arousal: A Chronobiological Perspective
Greta Mainieri1, Giuseppe Loddo2, Federica Provini1,3
1Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy.
Clocks & Sleep
|January 26, 2021
Summary
Disorders of arousal (DoA), like sleepwalking, often occur during slow-wave sleep (SWS) in the first half of the night. This review explores SWS features and chronobiology influencing these NREM sleep events.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep parasomnias, now termed disorders of arousal (DoA), involve incomplete awakenings from sleep.
- Key DoA include confusional arousal, sleep terror, and sleepwalking, predominantly seen in children but also persisting or emerging in adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the intrinsic sleep-related features and chronobiological aspects of slow-wave sleep (SWS).
- To explain why the majority of DoA episodes occur during the initial sleep cycles of the night.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on the last twenty years.
- Analysis of sleep architecture, specifically slow-wave sleep (SWS).
- Examination of predisposing, priming, and precipitating factors for DoA.
Main Results:
- Most DoA episodes originate during slow-wave sleep (SWS), particularly within the first two sleep cycles.
- The timing of DoA is influenced by the inherent structure of SWS and external factors.
Conclusions:
- Slow-wave sleep (SWS) characteristics and chronobiology are critical factors in the timing of most disorders of arousal (DoA) episodes.
- Understanding these sleep-related features can elucidate the occurrence patterns of DoA during the first part of the night.
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