Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
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Using an actigraph, the activity patterns in 13 demented patients with delirium were examined. We analyzed the data of the eight patients, wearing the actigraphs for more than 10 days. They were classified into four types: type A, nocturnal delirium type; type B, wandering type; type C, hypobulia type; and type D, lying down type. ⋯ The dominant period of activity rhythm was nearly 24 h in all cases. Additional 12-h period was observed in type C. Actigraphs might become useful in making therapeutic decisions regarding demented patients with delirium.
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We tried melatonin treatment in two patients with non-24 h sleep-wake syndrome, who did not respond to treatments by vitamin B12, bright light therapy, or hypnotics. In one patient, melatonin 5-10 mg improved difficulty in falling asleep and in waking, although it failed to improve the sleep-wake rhythm. ⋯ However, melatonin re-administration after a 4-month drug-free interval failed to improve his free-running sleep-wake rhythm. These results suggest that melatonin acted as a sleep inducer in one patient and as a phase setter in the other, although the effect on the latter patient was transient.
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Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. · Apr 1998
Effect of frequent brief awakenings from nonREM sleep on the nonREM-REM sleep cycle.
In the framework of a selective sleep deprivation study, eight young men were repeatedly awakened during 3 nights from nonREM sleep (nonREMS). The mean number of awakenings per night was 27.4, 29.5 and 32.8. ⋯ However, after subtracting the waking intervals, the differences from baseline was eliminated. The results show that the mechanisms underlying sleep cycle control keep track of sleep time and disregard epochs of waking.
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Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. · Apr 1998
Observational assessment of patient's sleep complaints in the coronary care unit.
Sleep-wake disorders are common in patients who are treated in coronary care units (CCU). We report a clinical trial aimed at developing an observational assessment of patients sleep complaints in a CCU. ⋯ Subjective sleep feelings upon rising was also investigated. Sleep disruptions during the latter half of the night was found to be an important determining factor of sleep feeling upon rising.