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Jactatio capitis nocturna with persistence in adulthood. Case report

R S Alves¹, F Alóe, A B Silva

¹Centro de Estudos do Sono (CES) do Hospital das Clínicas (HC) da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), Brasil. rosalves@usp.br

Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria

|December 16, 1998

Summary

Rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) involves repetitive movements during sleep onset. This case study highlights an atypical RMD presentation in a young adult, with successful treatment using imipramine.

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Sleep Medicine

Background:

Rhythmic movement disorder (RMD), or jactatio capitis nocturna, is a sleep-related disorder in children.
Characterized by repetitive movements near sleep onset and during light sleep.

Observation:

A 19-year-old male presented with lifelong headbanging and body rocking at sleep onset.
Normal psychomotor milestones and unremarkable physical/neurological exams.
Sleep study revealed poor sleep efficiency and frequent head movements during wakefulness and NREM sleep.

Findings:

Clinical diagnosis of RMD confirmed via clinical presentation and polysomnography.
Standard treatments like clonazepam and midazolam were ineffective.
Imipramine demonstrated significant clinical improvement.

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Implications:

This case suggests RMD can persist into adulthood with atypical features.
Highlights the potential efficacy of imipramine for refractory RMD cases.
Underscores the need for comprehensive sleep evaluations in suspected RMD.