Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Abnormal postures and movements during sleep

  • Chapter
Sleep

  • 702 Accesses

Abstract

Paroxysmal movements of many types occur during sleep. These correspond either to sleep epileptic seizures or to parasomnias (sleepwalking, night terrors, REM sleep-related behaviour disorders etc.). These parasomnias, defined by strict clinical and paraclinical criteria, are described elsewhere in this book and so will not be dealt with here. The present chapter will focus on nocturnal motor phenomena referred to in the literature as hypnogenic paroxysmal dystonia, nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia, paroxysmal arousals, paroxysmal nightmares, episodic wanderings etc. Their pathophysiology has long been subject to debate. The 1997 classification of sleep disorders defined these complex abnormal movements as parasomnias [1]; most authors do not consider them as forming a separate entity, but as a clinical form of partial epileptic seizures [9, 19 20, 26, 31, 35].

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. AMERICAN SLEEP DISORDERS ASSOCIATION. ICSD - International classification of sleep disorders, revised: Diagnostic and coding manual. American Sleep disorders Association, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  2. BENNETT D.A., RISTANOVIC R.K., MORRELL F., GOETZ C.G. - Dystonic posturing in temporal lobe seizures. Neurology, 39, 1270–1272, 1989.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. BESSET A., BILLIARD M. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. In: Sleep 1984, W.P. Koella, E. Rüther, H. Schulz (eds), Gustave Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 383–385, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  4. BOLLER F., WRIGHT D.G., CAVALIERI R., MITSUMOTO H. - Paroxysmal « nightmares ». Sequel of a stroke responsive to diphenylhydantoin. Neurology, 25, 1026–1028, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. CIRIGNOTTA F., LUGARESI E., MONTAGNA P. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. In: Principles and practice of sleep medicine. M.H. Kryger, T. Roth, W.C. Dement (eds), Saunders Company, New York, 410–412,1989.

    Google Scholar 

  6. DE FUSCO M., BECHETTI A., PATRIGNANI A., ANNESI G., GAMBARDELLA A., QUATTRONE A., BALLABIO A.,WANKE E., CASARI G. - The nicotinic receptor beta 2 subunit is mutant in frontal nocturnal lobe epilepsy. Nat. Genet., 26, 275–276, 2000.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. GAMBARDELLA A., ANNESI G., DE FUSCO M., AGUGLIA U., PASQUA A.A., SPADAFORA P., OLIVERI R.L., VALENTINO P., ZAPPIA M., BALLABIO A., CASARI G., QUATTRONE A. - A new locus for autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy maps to chromosome 1. Neurology, 55, 1567–1471, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. GODBOUT R., MONTPLAISIR J., ROULEAU I. - Hypnogenic paroxysmal dystonia: epilepsy or sleep disorder? A case report. Clin. Electrencephalogr., 16, 136–142, 1985.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. HIRSCH E. - Abnormal paroxysmal postures and movements during sleep: partial epilepsy or paroxysmal hypnogenic dystonia ? In: Sleep 1990, J. Horne (ed.), Pontenagel Press, Bochum, 471–473, 1900.

    Google Scholar 

  10. KOTAGAL P., LÜDERS H., MORRIS H.H., DINNER D.S., WYLLI E., GODOY J., ROTHNE R.D. -Dystonic posturing in complex partial seizures of temporal lobe onset: a new lateralizing sign. Neurology, 39, 196–201, 1989.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. KOVACEVIC-RISTANOVIC R., GOLBIN A., CARTWRIGHT R. - Nocturnal conversion disorder and nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. Similarities and treatments. Sleep Res., 17, 204, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  12. LEE B.I., LESSER R.P., PIPPENGER C.E., MORRIS H.H., LÜDERS H., DINNER D.S., CORRIE W.S., MURPHY W.F. - Familial paroxysmal hypnogenic dystonia. Mov. Disord., 3, 290–294, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. LEHKUNIEC E., MICHELI F., DE ARBELAIZ R., TORRES M., PARADISO G. - Concurrent hypnogenic and reflex paroxysmal dystonia. Mov. Disord., 3, 290–294, 1988.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. LUGARESI E., CIRIGNOTTA F. - Hypnogenic paroxysmal dystonia: epileptic seizures or a new syndrome ? Sleep, 4, 129–138, 1981

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. LUGARESI E., CIRIGNOTTA F., MONTAGNA P. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. . J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, 49, 375–380, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. LUGARESI E., CIRIGNOTTA F., MONTAGNA P. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. Epilepsy Res., suppl. 2, 137–140, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  17. MASELLIR.A., ROSENBERG R.S., SPIRE J.P. - Episodic nocturnal wandering in nonepileptic young patients. Sleep, 11, 156–161, 1988.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. McCARIO M., LUSTMAN L.I. - Paroxysmal nocturnal dystonia presenting as excessive daytime somnolence. Arch. Neurol., 47, 291–294, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. MEIERKORD H., FISH D.R., SMITH S.J.M., SCOTT C.A., SHORU S.D., MARSDE C.D.- Is nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia a form of frontal lobe epilepsy? Mov. Disord., 7, 38–42, 1992.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. MONTAGNA P. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia and nocturnal wandering. Neurology, 42, suppl. 6, 61–67, 1992.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. MONTAGNA P., SFORZA E., TINUPER P., CIRIGNOTTA F ;, LUGARESI E. - Paroxysmal arousals during sleep. Neurology, 40, 1063–1066, 1990.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. NIEDERMEYER E., WALKER A.E. - Mesio-frontal epilepsy. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol., 31, 103–106, 1971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. OLDANI A., ZUCCONI M., FERINI-STRAMBI L., BIZZOZERO D., SMIRNE S. - Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy ; electroclinical picture. Epilepsia, 37, 964–976, 1996.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. PEDLEY T.A., GUILLEMINAULT C. - Episodic nocturnal wandering responsive to anticonvulsant drug therapy. Ann. Neurol., 2, 30–35, 1977.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. PELED R., LAVIE P. - Paroxysmal awakenings from sleep associated with excessive daytime somnolence. A form of nocturnal epilepsy. Neurology, 36, 95–98, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. PHILLIPS H.A., FAVRE I., KIRKPATRICK M.,ZUBERI S.M., GOUDIE D., HERON S.E., SCHEFFER I.E., SUTHERLAND G.R., BERKOVIC S.F., BERTRAND D., MULLEY J.C. - CHRNB2 is the second acetylcholine receptor subunit associated with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 68, 225–231, 2000.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. PHILLIPS H.A., MARINI C., SCHEFFER I.E., SUTHERLAND G.R., MULLEY J.C., BERKOVIC S.F. - A de novo mutation in sporadic nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Ann. Neurol. 48, 264–267, 2000.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. RAJNA P., KUNDRA O., HALASZ P. - Vigilance level-dependant tonic seizures-epilepsy or sleep disorder ? A case report. Epilepsia, 24, 725–733, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. SCHEFFER L.E., BHATIA K.P., LOPES-CENDES I., FISH D.R., MARSDEN C.D., ANDERMANN F., ANDERMANN E., DESBIENS R., CENDES F., MANSON J.I. - Autosomal frontal epilepsy misdiagnosed as sleep disorder. Lancet, 343, 515–517, 1994.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. SCHEFFER L.E., BHATIA K.P., LOPES-CENDES I., FISH D.R., MARSDEN C.D., ANDERMANN E., ANDERMANN F., DESBIENS R., KEENE D., CENDES F. - Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. A distinctive clinical disorder. Brain, 118, 61–73, 1995.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. SELLAL F., HIRSCH E., MAQUET P., SALMON E., FRANCK G., COLLARD M., KURTZ D., MARESCAUD C. - Postures et mouvements anormaux paroxystiques au cours du sommeil: dystonie paroxystique hypnogénique ou épilepsie partielle? Rev. Neurol. (Paris), 147, 121–128, 1991.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. SILVESTRI R., DE DOMENICO P., CASELLA C., MENTO G., DI PERRI R. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia with atypical short-lasting attacks. Neurophysiol. Clin. 20, 217–219, 1990.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. STEINLEIN O.K., MULLEY J.C., PROPPING P., WALLACE R.H., PHILLIPS H.A., SUTHERLAND G.R., SCHEFFER I.E., BERKOVIC S.F. - A missense mutation in the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 4 subunit is associated with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Nat. Genet. 11, 201–203, 1995.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. THARP B.R. - Orbital frontal seizures. An unique electroencephalographic and clinical syndrome. Epilepsia, 13, 627–642, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. TINUPER P., CERULLO A., CIRIGNOTTA F., CORTELLI P., LUGARESI E., MONTAGNA P. - Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia with short-lasting attacks: three cases with evidence for an epileptic frontal lobe origin of seizures. Epilepsia, 31, 549–556, 1990.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. WADA J.A. - Nocturnal recurrence of brief, intensely affective vocal and facial expression with powerful bimanual, bipodal, axial and pelvic activity with rapid recovery as manifestations of mesial frontal lobe seizure. Epilepsia, 29, 209, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  37. WATERMAN K., PURVES S.J., KOSAKA B., STRAUSS E., WADA J. - An epileptic syndrome caused by mesial frontal lobe seizure foci. Neurology, 37, 577–582, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité d’Explorations Fonctionnelles des Epilepsies, Clinique Neurologique, Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France

    E. Hirsch, B. Maton, F. Sellal & C. Marescaux

Authors
  1. E. Hirsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Maton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Sellal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Marescaux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hôpital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France

    Michel Billiard

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hirsch, E., Maton, B., Sellal, F., Marescaux, C. (2003). Abnormal postures and movements during sleep. In: Billiard, M. (eds) Sleep. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0217-3_49

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0217-3_49

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4970-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0217-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation