Twelve months' follow-up by night sleep EEG after recovery from severe head trauma

Night sleep EEG recordings were obtained in patients, 1, 6, and 12 months after recovery from severe head trauma with signs of brain stem dysfunction. Modifications of intra-sleep wakefulness (W.) and REM sleep were observed but none of slow wave sleep (SWS). At one month after regaining consciousness, the lower the initial level of brain stem dysfunction, the greater the sleep disturbances were. At six months, improvement was observed. At one year, sleep disturbances increased again mainly in patients between 35 and 45 years old. These results are best compared to those observed in normal but elderly people, over 70 years.