24.01.2013 Views

Insomnia Insomnia

Insomnia Insomnia

Insomnia Insomnia

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Differential Diagnosis of <strong>Insomnia</strong> 41<br />

idiopathic insomnia, psychological functioning is remarkably intact. In severe<br />

cases, daytime functioning may be severely disrupted, and affected patients may be<br />

unable to hold a job. During childhood and adolescence, idiopathic insomnia is<br />

often associated with dyslexia and hyperactivity. In many cases, diffuse, nonspecific<br />

abnormalities are seen on an electroencephalogram (EEG) (4,5). There is no<br />

direct human evidence for structural neuropathology. Although idiopathic insomnia<br />

appears in childhood, not all childhood insomnia is idiopathic (6).<br />

Sleep State Misperception <strong>Insomnia</strong><br />

In this fascinating disorder, complaints of insomnia occur without any objective<br />

evidence of sleep disturbance. Patients may report that they have not slept at all in<br />

weeks, months, or years. However, on objective sleep studies, they sleep several<br />

hours per night (7). When results of sleep evaluation are presented, patients with<br />

sleep state misperception (SSM) may vehemently insist that the studies are in error<br />

because they are convinced that they sleep very little, if at all.<br />

Poor Sleep Hygiene<br />

In some patients, insomnia is the result of lifestyle. In others, poor sleep hygiene<br />

develops as a result of chronic insomnia. For example, in the latter case, patients<br />

may begin to drink more coffee to remain awake during the day and more alcohol to<br />

fall asleep at night. They may stay in bed for extended periods in an attempt to get<br />

more sleep. However, such ploys only serve to perpetuate the insomnia (5).<br />

Fatal Familial <strong>Insomnia</strong><br />

This hereditary condition, with autosomal-dominant transmission, is characterized<br />

clinically by progressive insomnia, dysautonomia, dysphagia, dysarthria,<br />

diplopia changes in circadian rhythm of hormone secretion, motor signs, myoclonus,<br />

and slight to moderate deterioration of cognition. The usual age of onset is<br />

between 35 and 60 years, and the course of the illness is between 7 and 32 months.<br />

In this condition, an abnormal prion protein (PrPsc) is present in the brain, and<br />

there is mutation of gene coding for PrPsc. The fatal nature of this illness is due to<br />

neurological degenerative changes, not to the insomnia itself (8, 9).<br />

Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder<br />

These familial, common, and related conditions are found in varying degrees in<br />

up to 10% of the population (10). The prevalence of periodic limb movement disorder<br />

(PLMD) is 3.9% and restless legs syndrome (RLS) is 5.5% (11). The four cardinal<br />

symptoms of RLS are a desire to move the legs, accompanying paresthesias<br />

that are characterized as uncomfortable or indescribable, motor restlessness, and<br />

worsening of symptoms at night and at rest (12). Symptoms of RLS may worsen<br />

with administration of antidepressants (13,14) and during pregnancy (15). Periodic<br />

limb movements (PLMs) occur in 80% of patients with RLS (16). They are repetitive,<br />

stereotyped movements recurring at 5- to 90-second intervals lasting usually

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!