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Related Experiment Videos

Adult headbanging: sleep studies and treatment

T Chisholm1, R L Morehouse

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Sleep
|May 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Headbanging, a rhythmic movement disorder, can persist into adulthood. This study found clonazepam effective in treating adult headbanging, reducing movement frequency and severity in two patients.

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Sleep·1995

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Movement Disorders

Background:

  • Headbanging is a rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) typically starting in infancy.
  • RMDs are stereotyped movements of large muscles, often occurring before sleep onset.
  • While common in children, RMDs like headbanging can persist into adulthood, sometimes associated with autism or intellectual disability.

Observation:

  • Two healthy adult males presented with headbanging, causing daytime somnolence and sleep disruption.
  • Polysomnography revealed headbanging during various sleep stages, including slow-wave sleep.

Findings:

  • Both patients responded positively to treatment with clonazepam.
  • Clonazepam significantly decreased the frequency and severity of headbanging episodes.

Implications:

  • Headbanging may persist into adulthood and require treatment.
  • Clonazepam is a potentially effective treatment for adult headbanging, marking the first report of its use for this condition.

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