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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Following Focal Brainstem Ischemia: A Case Series with Polysomnographic Characterization

Jiri Nepozitek1, Simona Dostalova1, Evzen Ruzicka1

  • 1Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 2, 128 21, The Czech Republic.

Nature and Science of Sleep
|August 10, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Focal brainstem ischemia can cause Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), characterized by dream-enacting behaviors. Polysomnography confirmed REM sleep without atonia (RWA) in two patients with ischemic brainstem lesions.

Keywords:
REM sleep behavior disorderREM sleep without atoniabrainstem strokeischemic brainstem lesionpolysomnographysecondary RBD

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