Jitka Busková, David Kemlink, Veronika Ibarburu, Sona Nevsímalová, Karel Sonka
Neuro endocrinology letters 2015Antidepressants substantially affect REM sleep characteristics and trigger manifestations of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in the general, non-narcoleptic, population. Antidepressants are also frequently administrated in an attempt to suppress cataplexy. We investigated the role of antidepressants in the development of RBD in narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) patients. Seventy-five patients diagnosed with NC were assessed by a structured interview (focused on RBD manifestations and the use of antidepressants) and night video-polysomnography followed by the multiple sleep latency test. Of all 75 NC patients (36 male, 39 female; mean age 46.1±18.5 years), 34 cases had a history of antidepressant use (45.3%; 18 male, 16 female). In this antidepressant-positive group, 13 patients suffered from RBD (38.2%). Among antidepressant-naïve patients, only 5 subjects (12.2%) were diagnosed with RBD. Polysomnographic data showed significantly increased REM latency (p<0.01) and reduced percentage of REM sleep (p<0.01) in the antidepressant-positive group, as well as more periodic limb movements during sleep (p=0.01). NC patients with a history of antidepressant use showed a three-fold higher occurrence of RBD in comparison to antidepressant-naïve patients.
Jitka Busková, David Kemlink, Veronika Ibarburu, Sona Nevsímalová, Karel Sonka. Antidepressants substantially affect basic REM sleep characteristics in narcolepsy-cataplexy patients. Neuro endocrinology letters. 2015;36(5):430-3
PMID: 26707042
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