Publications by authors named "Alon Y Avidan"

Background And Objectives: Idiopathic/isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) has been strongly linked to neurodegenerative synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. However, there have been increasing reports of RBD as a presenting feature of serious and treatable autoimmune syndromes, particularly IGLON5. This study's objective was to investigate the frequency of autoantibodies in a large cohort of participants with iRBD.

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This article serves to help reduce patient burden in searching for credible information about parasomnias-abnormal behaviors during sleep-including sleepwalking, night terrors, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. It exhibits a compiled list of accessible online resources about parasomnias as well as detailed descriptions about each resource. By increasing patient accessibility to clinically validated resources, patients are more empowered to take an active role in managing their conditions, collaborating with their health-care practitioners in clinical management, enrolling in registries, and joining newsletters sponsored by these resources.

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Parasomnias are defined as abnormal movements or behaviors that occur in sleep or during arousals from sleep. Parasomnias vary in frequency from episodic events that arise from incomplete sleep state transition. The framework by which parasomnias are categorized and diagnosed is based on the International Classification of Sleep Disorders-Third Edition, Text Revision (ICSD-3-TR), published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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Background And Objectives: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by dream enactment. The International RBD Study Group developed the RBD Symptom Severity Scale (RBDSSS) to assess symptom severity for clinical or research use. We assessed the psychometric and clinimetric properties of the RBDSSS in participants enrolled in the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium for RBD.

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Article Synopsis
  • RBD is a sleep disorder that can lead to serious brain diseases like Parkinson's, especially in people with past brain injuries or stress.
  • People with both RBD and past trauma had their RBD symptoms start earlier and were more severe than those with just RBD.
  • The study found that those with both RBD and trauma experienced worse mental and physical health, suggesting a possible link to worsening brain problems over time.
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Background And Objectives: Although orthostatic hypotension (OH) can be an early feature of autonomic dysfunction in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD), no large-scale studies have examined the frequency of OH in iRBD. In this study, we prospectively evaluated the frequency of OH in a large multicenter iRBD cohort.

Methods: Participants 18 years or older with video polysomnogram-confirmed iRBD were enrolled through the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy consortium.

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Central disorders of hypersomnolence include a spectrum of conditions, such as narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, and Kleine-Levin syndrome, in which excessive daytime sleepiness is the primary feature. Subjective testing with tools, such as sleep logs and sleepiness scales, are often helpful in the evaluation of these disorders but do not necessarily correlate well with objective testing, such as polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test and maintenance of wakefulness test. The most recent International Classification of Sleep Disorders-Third Edition has incorporated biomarkers, such as cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin level, into the diagnostic criteria and have restructured the classification of conditions based on our evolved understanding of their underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.

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Objective: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is widely considered a prodromal synucleinopathy, as most with RBD develop overt synucleinopathy within ~10 years. Accordingly, RBD offers an opportunity to test potential treatments at the earliest stages of synucleinopathy. The North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium has created a multisite RBD participant, primarily clinic-based cohort to better understand characteristics at diagnosis, and in future work, identify predictors of phenoconversion, develop synucleinopathy biomarkers, and enable early stage clinical trial enrollment.

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Introduction: This guideline establishes clinical practice recommendations for the management of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in adults.

Methods: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) commissioned a task force of experts in sleep medicine to develop recommendations and assign strengths based on a systematic review of the literature and an assessment of the evidence using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. The task force provided a summary of the relevant literature and the certainty of evidence, the balance of benefits and harms, patient values and preferences, and resource use considerations that support the recommendations.

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Unlabelled: This systematic review provides supporting evidence for a clinical practice guideline for the management of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder in adults and children. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned a task force of 7 experts in sleep medicine. A systematic review was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials and observational studies that addressed interventions for the management of REM sleep behavior disorder in adults and children.

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Purpose: Current US FDA-approved treatments for narcolepsy include sodium oxybate (SXB) and calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates (mixed-salt oxybates), which require 2 nightly doses, 1 at bedtime and another 2.5 to 4 hours later. Once-nightly SXB (ON-SXB; FT218) is under FDA review to treat adults with narcolepsy.

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What Is This Summary About?: Sodium oxybate is a medicine for narcolepsy symptoms. It contains a high level of sodium. Should people taking sodium oxybate and their doctors worry about the sodium increasing their risk of heart or cardiovascular problems? This is a summary of an article that reviewed 20 years of published data to answer that question.

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Unlabelled: This article updates the American Academy of Sleep Medicine protocols for the administration of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test and the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned a task force of clinical experts in sleep medicine to review published literature on the performance of these tests since the publication of the 2005 American Academy of Sleep Medicine practice parameter paper. Although no evidence-based changes to the protocols were warranted, the task force made several changes based on consensus.

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Electroencephalogram (EEG) recording is essential in the evaluation of complex movement and behaviors during sleep, but in particular for differentiating epileptic versus nonepileptic events. In general, epileptiform discharges occur with greater density in the first few nonerapid eye movement cycles, and approximately 12% to 20% of seizures occur exclusively at night. This review examines the epilepsy types and syndromes whose presentation is strongly influenced by the sleep state, with an appraisal about the role that sleep plays in facilitating seizures, while deleaneatign EEG findings and clinical manifestation.

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Sodium oxybate (SO), the sodium salt of γ-hydroxybutyric acid, is one of the primary pharmacologic agents used to treat excessive sleepiness, disturbed nighttime sleep, and cataplexy in narcolepsy. The sodium content of SO ranges from 550 to 1640 mg at 3-9 g, given in two equal nightly doses. Clinicians are advised to consider daily sodium intake in patients with narcolepsy who are treated with SO and have comorbid disorders associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, in whom sodium intake may be a concern.

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Objective: To present (1) justification for earmarking sleep medicine education as an essential component of all medical school curricula and (2) various avenues to incorporate sleep medicine exposure into medical school curricula through (primarily) neuroscience and neurology courses.

Methods: Per consensus of a team of leading neurology and sleep medicine educators, an evidence-based rationale for including sleep medicine across a 4-year medical school curriculum is presented along with suggested content, available/vetted resources, and formats for delivering sleep medicine education at various points and through various formats.

Results: Growing evidence has linked sleep disorders (e.

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Chronic Insomnia Disorder.

Continuum (Minneap Minn)

August 2017

Purpose Of Review: Neurologists, along with all health care providers, commonly encounter patients with insomnia, which is a condition that impacts patients' underlying neurologic conditions in a bidirectional manner. While chronic insomnia is one of the most common sleep disturbances, only a small proportion of individuals with this condition discuss their sleep problems with their providers. When insomnia is described, it is more often in relationship to another medical problem, as opposed to an independent condition.

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Sleep disorders are common in neurology practice, but are often undiagnosed and untreated. Specific patient cohorts, such as older adults, patients residing in nursing homes, and patients with underlying chronic neurologic and psychiatric disorders, are at particular risk. If these sleep problems are not properly evaluated and managed the patient may experience exacerbation of the underlying neurologic disorder.

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Aim: Assess efficacy and tolerability of gabapentin enacarbil (GEn) in adults with severe primary restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods: We pooled data from three 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trials (NCT00298623, NCT00365352, NCT01332305) across GEn 600-mg, GEn 1200-mg, and placebo treatment groups for severe primary RLS (baseline International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) total score ≥24). Co-primary end points at week 12 were mean change from baseline in IRLS total score and proportion of responders ("much"/very much" improved) on the investigator-rated Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) Scale.

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Objective: The aim was to assess gabapentin enacarbil (GEn) treatment effects on quality of life (QOL) and mood in adults with moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods: Data were pooled from three placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, 12-week trials for adults receiving GEn (600 mg or 1200 mg) or placebo once daily. QOL was assessed with the RLS QOL questionnaire in two studies.

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The older patient population is growing rapidly around the world and in the USA. Almost half of seniors over age 65 who live at home are dissatisfied with their sleep, and nearly two-thirds of those residing in nursing home facilities suffer from sleep disorders. Chronic and pervasive sleep complaints and disturbances are frequently associated with excessive daytime sleepiness and may result in impaired cognition, diminished intellect, poor memory, confusion, and psychomotor retardation all of which may be misinterpreted as dementia.

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Sleep is disrupted in most patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit and the disturbances are even more profound in patients impacted by epilepsy. Nocturnal seizures must be differentiated from other common nocturnal events, such as delirium, parasomnias, and sedation. Many antiepileptic drugs produce undesirable side effects on sleep architecture that may further predispose patients to insomnia during the night and excessive sedation and hypersomnolence during the day.

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