SLEEP 2011 Abstract Supplement

B. Clinical Sleep Science IV. Sleep Disorders – Parasomnias
Conclusion: Melatonin appears to be a safe and effective treatment for
RBD. Sustained release melatonin appears to be more effective than
standard preparation melatonin. Melatonin also appears to be effective
in the treatment of drug induced RBD.
0577
VARIATION IN CARDIAC FREQUENCY PRIOR TO THE
ONSET OF SLEEPWALKING EPISODES
Scavone G 1,2 , Lanfranchi PA 1,3,5 , Pennestri M 1,2 , Montplaisir J 1,4 ,
Zadra A 1,2
1
Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré
Coeur de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, 2 Psychology, Université de
Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, 3 Medicine, Université de Montréal,
Montréal, QC, Canada, 4 Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montréal,
QC, Canada, 5 Cardiology, Hôpital du Sacré Coeur de Montréal,
Montréal, QC, Canada
Introduction: Some pilot data suggest that cardiac activation may precede
the onset of sleepwalking episodes, but findings were limited by a
small sample size and methodological considerations. The present study
investigated cardiac autonomic modulation in the minutes and seconds
preceding sleepwalking episodes in a larger sample and with more advanced
techniques.
Methods: Participants were 17 subjects (8 women, 9 men, aged 29 ± 8
years) who met ICSD diagnostic criteria for sleepwalking. Each experienced
a somnambulistic episode in the sleep laboratory following 25
hours of sleep deprivation. Electrocardiographic recordings preceding
each episode were investigated. Heart rate variability in both time and
frequency domains was used to compare cardiac autonomic modulation
from min 3 to episode onset (segA) and from min 6 to 3 (segB). Time
domain analyses included mean R-R interval (RR) and standard deviation
of RR (sdRR). Frequency domain analyses included power in the
low and high frequency band of RR variability (LF and HF) in both
absolute and normalized units and LF/HF ratio. Changes in RR were
also assessed over the 5 seconds preceding episode onset compared to
the average RR from the 2 preceding minutes.
Results: There was a significant reduction in sdRR (from 44±18 ms
to 37±14 ms, p