Sleep medicine reviews
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Sleep medicine reviews · Jun 2011
ReviewSleep, dreaming, and mental health: a review of historical and neurobiological perspectives.
Theories as to the function of sleep and dreaming and their relationship to emotions have been studied since the beginning of recorded history. Earliest historical records show the predominant view to be that dreams were considered divine in origin and only later did dream theory become linked with the functioning of the brain, perhaps most famously in psychoanalytic theory. The development of sleep laboratory techniques ushered in a new era of the dream study and their relationship to mental health. In this review we outline the history of theories about the genesis and function of dreams and sleep and their relationship to mental illness from ancient mythic and religious views to the first tentative scientific approaches to the ascendency of psychoanalysis and ultimately to the modern era of neuroscience.
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Sleep medicine reviews · Apr 2011
ReviewA systematic review of insomnia and complementary medicine.
In concert with growing public interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), these therapies and products have been increasingly studied over the past two decades for the treatment of sleep disorders. While systematic reviews have been conducted on acupuncture and valerian in the treatment of insomnia, to date no comprehensive review has been conducted on all major CAM treatments. We sought to address this via a rigorous systematic review of hypnotic CAM interventions, including herbal and nutritional medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, tai chi, massage, aromatherapy and homoeopathy. ⋯ Surprisingly, studies involving several mainstream CAM therapies (e.g., homoeopathy, massage, or aromatherapy) were not located or did not meet basic inclusion criteria. If CAM interventions are to be considered as viable stand-alone or adjuvant treatments for sleep disorders, future researchers are urged to use acceptable methodology, including appropriate sample sizes and adequate controls. RCTs evaluating other untested CAM therapies such as massage, homoeopathy, or osteopathy are encouraged, as is the exploration of using CAM therapies adjuvantly with conventional therapies.
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Sleep medicine reviews · Apr 2011
ReviewObesity hypoventilation syndrome--the big and the breathless.
Daytime hypercapnia that develops in morbidly obese individuals in the absence of concurrent lung or neuromuscular disease is referred to as the obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). The characteristic polysomnographic (PSG) abnormality is marked sleep hypoxemia. Although the likelihood of hypoventilation increases with increasing body mass index (BMI), it is too simplistic to think of this disorder arising merely from chest wall restriction due to excess weight. ⋯ Irrespective of the mechanisms underlying the development of this disorder, early recognition of the problem and institution of effective therapy is important to reduce the significant clinical and societal repercussions of OHS. While therapy directed at improving sleep disordered breathing is effective in reversing daytime respiratory failure, it is not universally successful and information regarding longer term clinical outcomes is limited. Attention to weight reduction strategies are also necessary to reduce comorbid conditions and improve quality of life, but data regarding how successful and sustained this is in obesity hypoventilation are sparse.
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Sleep medicine reviews · Feb 2011
ReviewContent comparison of 115 health status measures in sleep medicine using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a reference.
The objective of this systematic review and content analysis was to identify and quantify the concepts contained in patient-administered health status measures in sleep medicine practice and research using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a reference. Both generic and condition-specific patient-administered measures/questionnaires used in sleep medicine practice and research were identified and selected. A comprehensive search strategy for reviews, National/International Guidelines and Standard References to ensure that all areas of functioning, disability and health were captured was used. ⋯ The concepts identified in the questionnaires' items were predominantly linked to categories of the ICF component related to body functions (61.4%), followed by activities and participation (15.3%), and then environmental factors (9.8%). The measures vary greatly with regard to the number and specificity of the ICF categories covered, as indicated by the proportional indices of content density and content diversity. The ICF provides a useful reference to identify, quantify and compare the concepts contained in health status measures used in sleep medicine practice and research.