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Two case reports: night terrors with sleepwalking--a potentially lethal disorder.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|August 1, 1983
Summary
Severe night terrors with sleepwalking in adults can lead to extreme violence and fatalities. Prompt treatment is crucial for managing these dangerous sleep disorders and improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Night terrors and sleepwalking (somnambulism) are parasomnias that can manifest in adults.
- While typically associated with childhood, these disorders can present severely in adulthood.
Observation:
- Two adult males with no significant psychopathology experienced severe episodes of night terrors with sleepwalking.
- One individual's episode resulted in three fatalities, and the other involved serious threats of death and bodily harm.
Findings:
- Despite functioning well, neither patient met criteria for a specific DSM-III diagnosis.
- Both patients exhibited traits suggestive of compulsive personality disorder.
- Significant improvement was observed in both cases following treatment.
Implications:
- Severe adult sleepwalking and night terrors represent a critical diagnostic and treatment challenge.
- These cases highlight the potential for extreme violence and fatalities associated with these parasomnias.
- Effective treatment can lead to considerable improvement, underscoring the importance of timely intervention.