REM behavior disorder
Question:
i have this problem called REM sleep behavior disorder where i act out my dreams physically. i do things like jump out of bed because i’m flying in my dream, or hit or claw at my partner. (this is distinct from sleepwalking, which doesn’t occur during REM sleep.) does anyone know anything about this? what causes it? is there an accepted way to treat it? (benzodiazepines did not seem to help much, if at all.) -elizabeth
Response:
H. Elizabeth Shapere wrote: > i have this problem called REM sleep behavior disorder where i act out my > dreams physically. i do things like jump out of bed because i’m flying in my > dream, or hit or claw at my partner. (this is distinct from sleepwalking, > which doesn’t occur during REM sleep.) > does anyone know anything about this? what causes it? is there an accepted > way to treat it? (benzodiazepines did not seem to help much, if at all.)
REM Behaviour Disorder is a relatively recently recognised condition, where the normal motor inhibition during REM sleep does not occur. Hence the acting out of dreams. I have only seen one person with this curious condition. There is a real lack of literature on its treatment (at least when I last checked it out several years ago) Benzodiazepines were the main mentioned teatment. Theoretically, other REM suppressors, like the tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine, amitriptyline) might work,, too. — Larry Brash – mailto:la…@brash.net ————————————– What a Brash Idea for a Home Page – http://brash.net/larry Microsoft Jokes Page – http://brash.net/msjokes ————————————– "Life is a sexually transmitted disease with 100% mortality." RD Laing
Response:
Its interesting to note that the Navy has done the most extensive studies on sleep movement disorders Naval Research Sleep Management Manual Countermeasures …a bunch of guys on a ship jumping around in their sleep causes all sorts of morale problems. I’m not sure if its available online (it was a pretty big book). In article <6bh71m$…@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU>, shap…@mit.edu (H. Elizabeth Shapere) wrote: > i have this problem called REM sleep behavior disorder where i act out my > dreams physically. i do things like jump out of bed because i’m flying in my > dream, or hit or claw at my partner. (this is distinct from sleepwalking, > which doesn’t occur during REM sleep.) > does anyone know anything about this? what causes it? is there an accepted > way to treat it? (benzodiazepines did not seem to help much, if at all.) > -elizabeth
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Response:
I have had REM behavior disorder, though I believe it was in my case mostly related to a change in antidepressant medications causing an excess of REM activity. My doctor prescribed Klonapin (clonazepam), an anticonvulsant benzodiazepine, 0.5-1 mg at bedtime, with good effect. I do not believe all benzodiazepines are equivalent in this respect. Another avenue would be antidepressants which typically suppress Rapid Eye Movement sleep, especially the noradrenergic antidepressants such as desipramine and imipramine, or the monoamine oxidase inhibitors, probably the most potent but usually too much for most doctors to handle. Kerrin Leon White, M.D. E-mail: kerri…@ix.netcom.com or WhiteKe…@aol.com URL: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/4752/index.html A Doctor with Sleep Apnea Reviews Recent Research for Fellow Patients
