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Essay about The REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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The REM Sleep Behavior Disorder The REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is characterized clinically by a history of changes in the nature of the patients' dreams (they are more action-packed) and motor behavior (its is more action packed) during REM sleep that correlate with the simultaneously occurring dream-mentation. The polysomnographic (PSG) findings consist of the intermittent appearance of markedly increased tonic and phasic EMG activity during REM sleep Clinically, RBD usually responds exquisitely and persistently to the nightly administration of clonazepam. While taking clonazepam, patients report that their dreams have reverted to a less action-packed variety, and that their dream-enacting motor and verbal behaviors …show more content…

Limb jerking, moaning, and talking appeared every night, and episodes of punching, kicking, falling out of bed, and running into furniture occurred as frequently as three times nightly on as many as three nights per week. On one occasion, his wife saw him throw punches while he dreamed of fighting a squirrel in an attic. The patient and his wife had received numerous injuries during his sleep episodes. The onset of dementia was accompanied by aggressive wakeful behaviors that were controlled with the drug haloperidol; however, this medication had no effect on his nocturnal behaviors. A computed tomographic brain scan was normal, and results of a brief neurologic exam were unremarkable (Schenck 1987). The above case study is not an abnormal description of what a person suffering from REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) goes through each night. Other behaviors such as wrapping up their spouses in the sheets rodeo style, body jerking, leg twitching or kicking, punching their partner, picking up a bedside telephone, leaping out of bed, or even leaving the bedroom entirely have all been observed in RBD patients. RBD and the nocturnal actions that it provokes, may be associated with other neurological problems, in some cases heralding the onset of something

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