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Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism or noctambulism, is a phenomenon of combined sleep and wakefulness.[1] It is classified as a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family.[2] It occurs during slow wave stage of sleep, in a state of low consciousness, with performance of activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as talking, sitting up in bed, walking to a bathroom, consuming food, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving a motor vehicle,[3][4][5] violent gestures and grabbing at hallucinated objects.[6]

Although sleepwalking cases generally consist of simple, repeated behaviors, there are occasionally reports of people performing complex behaviors while asleep, although their legitimacy is often disputed.[7] Sleepwalkers often have little or no memory of the incident, as their consciousness has altered into a state in which memories are difficult to recall. Although their eyes are open, their expression is dim and glazed over.[8] This may last from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.[6]

Sleepwalking occurs during slow-wave sleep (N3) of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM sleep) cycles. It typically occurs within the first third of the night when slow-wave sleep is most prominent.[8] Usually, it will occur once in a night, if at all.[6]

Signs and symptoms edit

Sleepwalking is characterized by:[9]

  • partial arousal during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, typically during the first third of the night
  • dreamy content that may or may not be recalled when awake
  • dream-congruent motor behavior that may be simple or complex
  • impaired perception of the environment
  • impaired judgement, planning and problem-solving.[10]

Despite how it is portrayed in many cultures (eyes closed and walking with arms outstretched), the sleepwalker's eyes are open but may appear as a glassy-eyed stare or blank expression and pupils are dilated. They are often disoriented, consequent to awakening: the sleepwalker may be confused and perplexed, and might not know why or how they got out of bed; however, the disorientation will fade within minutes. They may talk while sleepwalking, but the talk typically does not make sense to the observer. There are varying degrees of amnesia associated with sleepwalking, ranging from no memory at all, vague memories or a narrative.[11]

Associated disorders edit

Most studies look at sleep disorders in adults but children can also be affected. In the ten percent of the population that experience sleep-related disorders, children are mainly affected due to their youthful brains.[12] A study conducted in Australia,[13] looked at sleepwalking and its association with sleep behaviors in children. It was found that sleepwalking could be associated with children's bedtime routines. Those who have behavioral problems are more likely to develop a sleep disorder and should be assessed. The relationship between sleepwalking and the behavioral and emotional problems are more associated than their bedtime routines. This may very well be because sleep related disorders and sleepwalking happen simultaneously; one cannot exist without the other.[13]

In the study "Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors in Prepubertal Children"[14] it was found that, if a child had another sleep disorder – such as restless leg syndrome (RLS) or sleep-disorder breathing (SDB) – there was a greater chance of sleepwalking. The study found that children with chronic parasomnias may often also present SDB or, to a lesser extent, RLS. Furthermore, the disappearance of the parasomnias after the treatment of the SDB or RLS periodic limb movement syndrome suggests that the latter may trigger the former. The high frequency of SDB in family members of children with parasomnia provided additional evidence that SDB may manifest as parasomnias in children. Children with parasomnias are not systematically monitored during sleep, although past studies have suggested that patients with sleep terrors or sleepwalking have an elevated level of brief EEG arousals. When children receive polysomnographies, discrete patterns (e.g., nasal flow limitation, abnormal respiratory effort, bursts of high or slow EEG frequencies) should be sought; apneas are rarely found in children. Children's respiration during sleep should be monitored with nasal cannula or pressure transducer system or esophageal manometry, which are more sensitive than the thermistors or thermocouples currently used in many laboratories. The clear, prompt improvement of severe parasomnia in children who are treated for SDB, as defined here, provides important evidence that subtle SDB can have substantial health-related significance. Also noteworthy is the report of familial presence of parasomnia. Studies of twin cohorts and families with sleep terror and sleepwalking suggest genetic involvement of parasomnias. RLS and SDB have been shown to have familial recurrence. RLS has been shown to have genetic involvement.

Sleepwalking may also accompany the related phenomenon of night terrors, especially in children. In the midst of a night terror, the affected person may wander in a distressed state while still asleep, and examples of sufferers attempting to run or aggressively defend themselves during these incidents have been reported in medical literature.[15]

In some cases, sleepwalking in adults may be a symptom of a psychological disorder. One study suggests higher levels of dissociation in adult sleepwalkers, since test subjects scored unusually high on the hysteria portion of the "Crown-Crisp Experiential Index".[16] Another suggested that "A higher incidence [of sleepwalking events] has been reported in patients with schizophrenia, hysteria and anxiety neuroses".[17] Also, patients with migraine headaches or Tourette syndrome are 4–6 times more likely to sleepwalk.

Consequences edit

During the amnesic state sleepwalkers are in, many things can happen without their recollection. One thing that can happen is a sleep disorder called sexomnia, where an individual can engage in sexual behaviors with oneself or others.[18] Its occurrence is rare, but can happen during sleepwalking.[19] Sleep-related eating disorder, in which sleepwalkers eat involuntarily, can also happen. The events can include eating/drinking regular foods or odd combinations of food.[20] Insomnia and daytime sleepiness can also occur.[21] Most sleepwalkers get injuries at some point during sleepwalking, often minor injuries such as cuts or bruises.[22][23] In rare occasions, however, sleepwalkers have fractured bones and died as the result of a fall.[24][25] Sleepwalkers may also face embarrassment of being found naked in public.[26][27]

Causes edit

The cause of sleepwalking is unknown. A number of, as yet unproven, hypotheses are suggested for why it might occur, including: delay in the maturity of the central nervous system,[6] increased slow wave sleep,[28] sleep deprivation, fever, and excessive tiredness. There may be a genetic component to sleepwalking. One study found that sleepwalking occurred in 45% of children who have one parent who sleepwalked, and in 60% of children if both parents sleepwalked.[8] Thus, heritable factors may predispose an individual to sleepwalking, but expression of the behavior may also be influenced by environmental factors.[29][10] Genetic studies using common fruit flies as experimental models reveal a link between night sleep and brain development mediated by evolutionary conserved transcription factors such as AP-2[30] Sleepwalking may be inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder with reduced penetrance. Genome-wide multipoint parametric linkage analysis for sleepwalking revealed a maximum logarithm of the odds score of 3.14 at chromosome 20q12-q13.12 between 55.6 and 61.4 cM.[31]

Sleepwalking has been hypothesized to be linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which also appears to be metabolized differently in migraine patients and people with Tourette syndrome, both populations being four to nine times more likely to experience an episode of sleepwalking.[32] Hormonal fluctuations have been found to contribute to sleepwalking episodes in women, with the likeliness to sleepwalk being higher before the onset of menstruation.[33] It also appears that hormonal changes during pregnancy decrease the likelihood of engaging in sleepwalking. [34]

Medications, primarily in four classes—benzodiazepine receptor agonists and other GABA modulators, antidepressants and other serotonergic agents, antipsychotics, and β-blockers—have been associated with sleepwalking.[35] The best evidence of medications causing sleepwalking is for Zolpidem and sodium oxybate; all other reports are based on associations noted in case reports.[35]

A number of conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, are thought to trigger sleepwalking in people without a previous history of sleepwalking.[36][needs update]

Diagnosis edit

Polysomnography is the only accurate assessment of a sleepwalking episode. Because this is costly and sleepwalking episodes are usually infrequent, other measures commonly used include self-, parent-, or partner-report. Three common diagnostic systems that are generally used for sleepwalking disorders are International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10),[1] the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3),[37] and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.[2]

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual defines two subcategories of sleepwalking, although sleepwalking does not need to involve either behaviours:

  • sleepwalking with sleep-related eating.
  • sleepwalking with sleep-related sexual behavior (sexsomnia).[2]

Sleep eating involves consuming food while asleep. These sleep eating disorders are more often than not induced for stress related reasons. Another major cause of this sleep eating subtype of sleepwalking is sleep medication, such as Ambien for example (Mayo Clinic). There are a few others, but Ambien is a more widely used sleep aid.[38] Because many sleep eaters prepare the food they consume, there are risks involving burns and such with ovens and other appliances. As expected, weight gain is also a common outcome of this disorder, because food that is frequently consumed contains high carbohydrates. As with sleepwalking, there are ways that sleep eating disorders can be maintained. There are some medications that calm the sleeper so they can get longer and better-quality rest, but activities such as yoga can also be introduced to reduce the stress and anxiety causing the action.[39]

Differential diagnoses edit

Sleepwalking should not be confused with alcohol- or drug-induced blackouts, which can result in amnesia for events similar to sleepwalking. During an alcohol-induced blackout (drug-related amnesia), a person is able to actively engage and respond to their environment (e.g. having conversations or driving a vehicle), however the brain does not create memories for the events.[40] Alcohol-induced blackouts can occur with blood alcohol levels higher than 0.06 g/dl.[41] A systematic review of the literature found that approximately 50% of drinkers have experienced memory loss during a drinking episode and have had associated negative consequences similar to sleepwalkers, including injury and death.[40]

Other differential diagnoses include rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, confusional arousals, and night terrors.

Assessment edit

An assessment of sleepwalking via polysomnography poses the problem that sleepwalking is less likely to occur in the sleep laboratory, and if an episode occurs, it is usually less complex than what the patient experiences at home.[42][43][44] Therefore, the diagnosis can often be made by assessment of sleep history, time-course and content of the sleep related behaviors.[45] Sometimes, home videos can provide additional information and should be considered in the diagnostic process.[46]

Some features that should always be assessed include:[47]

  • Age of onset
  • When the episode occurs during the sleep period
  • How often these episodes occur (frequency) and how long they last (duration)
  • Description of the episode, including behavior, emotions, and thoughts during and after the event
  • How responsive the patient is to external stimuli during the episode
  • How conscious or aware the patient is, when awakened from an episode
  • If the episode is remembered afterwards
  • The triggers or precipitating factors
  • Sleep–wake pattern and sleep environment
  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Other sleep disorders that might be present
  • Family history for NREM parasomnias and other sleep disorders
  • Medical, psychiatric, and neurological history
  • Medication and substance use history

The assessment should rule out differential diagnoses.

Treatment edit

There have been no clinical trials to show that any psychological or pharmacological intervention is effective in preventing sleepwalking episodes.[9] Despite this, a wide range of treatments have been used with sleepwalkers. Psychological interventions have included psychoanalysis, hypnosis, scheduled or anticipatory waking, assertion training, relaxation training, managing aggressive feelings, sleep hygiene, classical conditioning (including electric shock), and play therapy. Pharmacological treatments have included tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine), an anticholinergic (biperiden), antiepileptics (carbamazepine, valproate), an antipsychotic (quetiapine), benzodiazepines (clonazepam, diazepam, flurazepam and triazolam), melatonin, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (paroxetine), a barbiturate (sodium amytal) and herbs.[9]

There is no evidence to show that waking sleepwalkers is harmful or not, though the sleepwalker is likely to be disoriented if awakened as sleepwalking occurs during the deepest stage of sleep.[citation needed]

Unlike other sleep disorders, sleepwalking is not associated with daytime behavioral or emotional problems. This may be because the sleepwalker's sleep is not disturbed—unless they are woken, they are still in a sleep state while sleepwalking.[citation needed]

Maintaining the safety of the sleepwalker and others and seeking treatment for other sleep problems is recommended.[9] Reassurance is recommended if sleepwalking is not causing any problems.[9] However, if it causes distress or there is risk of harm, hypnosis and scheduled waking are recommended as treatments.[9]

Safety planning edit

For those whose sleepwalking episodes are hazardous, a door alarm may offer a measure of protection. There are various kinds of door alarms that can attach to a bedroom door and when the door is opened, the alarm sounds.[48] The intention is that the sound will fully awaken the person and interrupt the sleepwalking episode, or if the sleepwalker lives with others, the sound will prompt them to check on the person.

Sleepwalkers should aim to have their bedrooms on the ground floor of a home, apartment, dorm, hotel, etc.

Sleepwalkers should not have easily accessible weapons (loaded guns, knives) in the bedroom or any room of the house for that matter. If there are weapons, they should be locked away with keys secluded from the sleepwalker.[11]

For partners of sleepwalkers who are violent or disturb their sleep, sleeping in another room may lead to better sleep quality and quantity.

Epidemiology edit

The lifetime prevalence of sleepwalking is estimated to be 4.6–10.3%. A meta-analysis of 51 studies, that included more than 100,000 children and adults, found that sleepwalking is more common in children with an estimated 5%, compared with 1.5% of adults, sleepwalking at least once in the previous 12 months. The rate of sleepwalking has not been found to vary across ages during childhood.[49]

History edit

Sleepwalking has attracted a sense of mystery, but was not seriously investigated and diagnosed until the 19th century. The German chemist and parapsychologist Baron Karl Ludwig von Reichenbach (1788–1869) made extensive studies of sleepwalkers and used his discoveries to formulate his theory of the Odic force.[50]

Sleepwalking was initially thought to be a dreamer acting out a dream.[6] For example, in one study published by the Society for Science & the Public in 1954, this was the conclusion: "Repression of hostile feelings against the father caused the patients to react by acting out in a dream world with sleepwalking, the distorted fantasies they had about all authoritarian figures, such as fathers, officers and stern superiors."[51] This same group published an article twelve years later with a new conclusion: "Sleepwalking, contrary to most belief, apparently has little to do with dreaming. In fact, it occurs when the sleeper is enjoying his most oblivious, deepest sleep—a stage in which dreams are not usually reported."[52] More recent research has discovered that sleepwalking is actually a disorder of NREM (non-rapid eye movement) arousal.[6] Acting out a dream is the basis for a REM (rapid eye movement) sleep disorder called REM Behavior Disorder (or REM Sleep Behavior Disorder).[6] More accurate data about sleep is due to the invention of technologies, such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) by Hans Berger in 1924[53] and BEAM by Frank Duffy in the early 1980s.[54]

In 1907, Sigmund Freud spoke about sleepwalking to the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society (Nunberg and Federn). He believed that sleepwalking was connected to fulfilling sexual wishes and was surprised that a person could move without interrupting their dream. At that time, Freud suggested that the essence of this phenomenon was the desire to go to sleep in the same area as the individual had slept in childhood. Ten years later, he speculated about somnambulism in the article "A Metapsychological Supplement to the Theory of Dreams" (1916–17 [1915]). In this essay, he clarified and expanded his hypothetical ideas on dreams. He described the dream as a fragile equilibrium that is destabilized by the repressed unconscious impulses of the unconscious system, which does not obey the wishes of the ego. Certain preconscious daytime thoughts can be resistant and these can retain a part of their cathexis as well. Unconscious impulses and day residues can come together and result in a conflict. Freud then wondered about the outcome of this wishful impulse: an unconscious instinctual demand that becomes a dream wish in the preconscious. Freud stated that this unconscious impulse could be expressed as mobility during sleep. This would be what is observed in somnambulism, though what actually makes it possible remains unknown.[55]

As of 2002, sleepwalking has not been detected in non-human primates. It is unclear whether it simply has not been observed yet, or whether sleepwalking is a uniquely human phenomenon.[56]

Culture edit

Opera edit

 
Amina, the somnabuliste, at the mill

Vincenzo Bellini's 1831 Italian opera semiseria, La sonnambula, the plot of which is centered on the question of the innocence of the betrothed and soon-to-be married Amina, who, upon having been discovered in the bedchamber of a stranger, and despite the assurances of that stranger that Amina was entirely innocent, has been rejected by her enraged fiancé, Elvino—who, then, decides to marry another. In fact, when stressed, Amina was susceptible to somnambulism; and had come to be in the stranger's bedchamber by sleep-walking along a high parapet (in full view of the opera's audience). Elvino, who later observes the (exhausted by all the fuss) Amina, sleep-walking across a very high, very unstable, and very rickety bridge at the local mill, realizes his mistake, abandons his plans of marriage to the other woman, and re-unites with Amina.

Jenny Lind and James Braid edit

In August 1847, the famous soprano Jenny Lind visited Manchester, and gave two performances as Amina. The outstanding difference between Lind and her contemporaries was that, "whilst the beauty of her voice was far greater than any other in living memory (thus, the Swedish Nightingale), what really set her apart was her outstanding ability to act"; and, moreover, in performing as Amina, rather than walking along a wide and well-protected walkway (as the others did), she routinely acrobatically balanced her way along narrow planks.[57]

While she was in Manchester—on the basis that, at the time, many characterized "hypnotism" as "artificial somnambulism",[58][59] and that, from a rather different perspective, her stage performance could also be described as one of "artificial" (rather than spontaneous) somnambulism—her friends arranged for her to visit the local surgeon James Braid, who had discovered hypnotism in 1841:[60][61][62]

Mr. Braid, surgeon, whose discoveries in hypnotism are well known, having invited the fair impersonator of a somnambulist to witness some of the abnormal feats of a real somnambulist, artificially thrown into that state, it was arranged that a private séance should take place [on Friday, 3 September 1847].

— Manchester Guardian, 8 September 1847

Drama edit

 
Mary Hoare's painting Lady Macbeth, Sleepwalking
  • The sleepwalking scene (Act V Scene 1) from William Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth (1606) is one of the most famous scenes in all of literature.
  • In Walley Chamberlain Oulton's two act farce The Sleep-Walker; or, Which is the Lady (1812), "Somno", a histrionic failed-actor-turned-manservant relives his wished-for roles when sleepwalking.[63]

Literature edit

Sleepwalking as a legal defense edit

As sleepwalking behaviours occur without volition, sleepwalking can be used as a legal defense, as a form of legal automatism.[64] An individual can be accused of non-insane or insane automatism.[where?] The first is used as a defense for temporary insanity or involuntary conduct, resulting in acquittal. The latter results in a "special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity."[65] This verdict of insanity can result in a court order to attend a mental institution.[66]

In the 1963 case Bratty v A-G for Northern Ireland, Lord Morris stated, "Each set of facts must require a careful examination of its own circumstances, but if by way of taking an illustration it were considered possible for a person to walk in his sleep and to commit a violent crime while genuinely unconscious, then such a person would not be criminally liable for that act."[67] While the veracity of the cases are disputed,[by whom?] there have been acts of homicide where the prime suspect may have committed the act while sleepwalking.

Alternative explanations to homicidal or violent sleepwalking include malingering, drug-induced amnesia, and other disorders in which sleep-related violence may occur, such as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, fugue states, and episodic wandering.[68]

Historical cases edit

 
Albert Tirrell was acquitted of the murder of Maria Bickford in 1846, under a defense that he was sleepwalking. (National Police Gazette, 1846)
  • 1846, Albert Tirrell used sleepwalking as a defense against charges of murdering Maria Bickford, a prostitute living in a Boston brothel.
  • 1961, Sergeant Willis Boshears confessed to strangling a local woman named Jean Constable in the early hours on New Years Day 1961, but claimed that he was asleep and only woke to realize what he had done. He pled not guilty on the basis of being asleep at the time he committed the offence and was acquitted.[69][70]
  • In 1981, Steven Steinberg of Scottsdale, Arizona was accused of killing his wife and acquitted on the grounds of temporary insanity.
  • 1991, R v Burgess: Burgess was accused of hitting his girlfriend on the head with a wine bottle and then a video tape recorder. He was found not guilty at Bristol Crown Court, by reason of insane automatism.[71]
  • 1992, R. v. Parks: Parks was accused of killing his mother-in-law and attempting to kill his father-in-law. He was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Canada.[72]
  • 1994, Pennsylvania v. Ricksgers: Ricksgers was accused of killing his wife. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.[73]
  • 1999, Arizona v. Falater: Scott Falater, of Phoenix, Arizona, was accused of killing his wife. The court concluded that the murder was too complex to be committed while sleepwalking. Falater was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life with no possibility of parole.
  • 2001, California v. Reitz: Stephen Reitz killed his lover, Eva Weinfurtner. He told police he had no recollection of the attack but he had "flashbacks" of believing he was in a scuffle with a male intruder. His parents testified in court that he had been a sleepwalker from childhood. The court convicted Reitz of first-degree murder in 2004.[73]
  • In 2001, Antonio Nieto murdered his wife and mother-in-law and attempted to murder his daughter and son, before being disarmed. Nieto claimed to have been asleep during the attack and dreaming that he was defending himself against aggressive ostriches. However, his children stated that he had recognized them and had told his son to not turn on the lights because their mother (gravely injured already) was sleeping. In 2007, Nieto was sentenced to 10 years internment in a psychiatric hospital and ordered to pay 171,100 euros as compensation to the victims.[74]
  • Jules Lowe confessed to causing the death of his father Edward in 2004, but did not remember committing the act. Jules used automatism as his defense, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity and detained indefinitely in a secure hospital.[75] He was released after ten months.
  • Brian Thomas was accused of killing his wife in 2008 while dreaming that he was fighting off intruders.[76] He was freed in 2009 by a judge, who found him not guilty of murder.[77][78]

See also edit

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  73. ^ "Acuerdan internar 10 años al hombre que mató a su mujer y su suegra creyéndolas avestruces" [They agreed to intern the man who killed his wife and mother-in-law for 10 years, believing them to be ostriches]. Diario Sur (in European Spanish). 2007-02-21. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
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Sources edit

  • Walker, N., Crime and Insanity in England Volume One: The Historical Perspective, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (1968)

External links edit

  Media related to Sleepwalking at Wikimedia Commons

sleepwalking, this, article, about, sleep, disorder, other, uses, disambiguation, sleepwalker, disambiguation, sleepwalk, disambiguation, also, known, somnambulism, noctambulism, phenomenon, combined, sleep, wakefulness, classified, sleep, disorder, belonging,. This article is about the sleep disorder For other uses see Sleepwalking disambiguation Sleepwalker disambiguation and Sleepwalk disambiguation Sleepwalking also known as somnambulism or noctambulism is a phenomenon of combined sleep and wakefulness 1 It is classified as a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family 2 It occurs during slow wave stage of sleep in a state of low consciousness with performance of activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness These activities can be as benign as talking sitting up in bed walking to a bathroom consuming food and cleaning or as hazardous as cooking driving a motor vehicle 3 4 5 violent gestures and grabbing at hallucinated objects 6 SleepwalkingJohn Everett Millais The Somnambulist 1871SpecialtyClinical psychology Psychiatry sleep medicine Although sleepwalking cases generally consist of simple repeated behaviors there are occasionally reports of people performing complex behaviors while asleep although their legitimacy is often disputed 7 Sleepwalkers often have little or no memory of the incident as their consciousness has altered into a state in which memories are difficult to recall Although their eyes are open their expression is dim and glazed over 8 This may last from 30 seconds to 30 minutes 6 Sleepwalking occurs during slow wave sleep N3 of non rapid eye movement sleep NREM sleep cycles It typically occurs within the first third of the night when slow wave sleep is most prominent 8 Usually it will occur once in a night if at all 6 Contents 1 Signs and symptoms 1 1 Associated disorders 1 2 Consequences 2 Causes 3 Diagnosis 3 1 Differential diagnoses 3 2 Assessment 4 Treatment 4 1 Safety planning 5 Epidemiology 6 History 7 Culture 7 1 Opera 7 1 1 Jenny Lind and James Braid 7 2 Drama 7 3 Literature 8 Sleepwalking as a legal defense 8 1 Historical cases 9 See also 10 References 11 Sources 12 External linksSigns and symptoms editSleepwalking is characterized by 9 partial arousal during non rapid eye movement NREM sleep typically during the first third of the night dreamy content that may or may not be recalled when awake dream congruent motor behavior that may be simple or complex impaired perception of the environment impaired judgement planning and problem solving 10 Despite how it is portrayed in many cultures eyes closed and walking with arms outstretched the sleepwalker s eyes are open but may appear as a glassy eyed stare or blank expression and pupils are dilated They are often disoriented consequent to awakening the sleepwalker may be confused and perplexed and might not know why or how they got out of bed however the disorientation will fade within minutes They may talk while sleepwalking but the talk typically does not make sense to the observer There are varying degrees of amnesia associated with sleepwalking ranging from no memory at all vague memories or a narrative 11 Associated disorders edit Most studies look at sleep disorders in adults but children can also be affected In the ten percent of the population that experience sleep related disorders children are mainly affected due to their youthful brains 12 A study conducted in Australia 13 looked at sleepwalking and its association with sleep behaviors in children It was found that sleepwalking could be associated with children s bedtime routines Those who have behavioral problems are more likely to develop a sleep disorder and should be assessed The relationship between sleepwalking and the behavioral and emotional problems are more associated than their bedtime routines This may very well be because sleep related disorders and sleepwalking happen simultaneously one cannot exist without the other 13 In the study Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors in Prepubertal Children 14 it was found that if a child had another sleep disorder such as restless leg syndrome RLS or sleep disorder breathing SDB there was a greater chance of sleepwalking The study found that children with chronic parasomnias may often also present SDB or to a lesser extent RLS Furthermore the disappearance of the parasomnias after the treatment of the SDB or RLS periodic limb movement syndrome suggests that the latter may trigger the former The high frequency of SDB in family members of children with parasomnia provided additional evidence that SDB may manifest as parasomnias in children Children with parasomnias are not systematically monitored during sleep although past studies have suggested that patients with sleep terrors or sleepwalking have an elevated level of brief EEG arousals When children receive polysomnographies discrete patterns e g nasal flow limitation abnormal respiratory effort bursts of high or slow EEG frequencies should be sought apneas are rarely found in children Children s respiration during sleep should be monitored with nasal cannula or pressure transducer system or esophageal manometry which are more sensitive than the thermistors or thermocouples currently used in many laboratories The clear prompt improvement of severe parasomnia in children who are treated for SDB as defined here provides important evidence that subtle SDB can have substantial health related significance Also noteworthy is the report of familial presence of parasomnia Studies of twin cohorts and families with sleep terror and sleepwalking suggest genetic involvement of parasomnias RLS and SDB have been shown to have familial recurrence RLS has been shown to have genetic involvement Sleepwalking may also accompany the related phenomenon of night terrors especially in children In the midst of a night terror the affected person may wander in a distressed state while still asleep and examples of sufferers attempting to run or aggressively defend themselves during these incidents have been reported in medical literature 15 In some cases sleepwalking in adults may be a symptom of a psychological disorder One study suggests higher levels of dissociation in adult sleepwalkers since test subjects scored unusually high on the hysteria portion of the Crown Crisp Experiential Index 16 Another suggested that A higher incidence of sleepwalking events has been reported in patients with schizophrenia hysteria and anxiety neuroses 17 Also patients with migraine headaches or Tourette syndrome are 4 6 times more likely to sleepwalk Consequences edit During the amnesic state sleepwalkers are in many things can happen without their recollection One thing that can happen is a sleep disorder called sexomnia where an individual can engage in sexual behaviors with oneself or others 18 Its occurrence is rare but can happen during sleepwalking 19 Sleep related eating disorder in which sleepwalkers eat involuntarily can also happen The events can include eating drinking regular foods or odd combinations of food 20 Insomnia and daytime sleepiness can also occur 21 Most sleepwalkers get injuries at some point during sleepwalking often minor injuries such as cuts or bruises 22 23 In rare occasions however sleepwalkers have fractured bones and died as the result of a fall 24 25 Sleepwalkers may also face embarrassment of being found naked in public 26 27 Causes editThe cause of sleepwalking is unknown A number of as yet unproven hypotheses are suggested for why it might occur including delay in the maturity of the central nervous system 6 increased slow wave sleep 28 sleep deprivation fever and excessive tiredness There may be a genetic component to sleepwalking One study found that sleepwalking occurred in 45 of children who have one parent who sleepwalked and in 60 of children if both parents sleepwalked 8 Thus heritable factors may predispose an individual to sleepwalking but expression of the behavior may also be influenced by environmental factors 29 10 Genetic studies using common fruit flies as experimental models reveal a link between night sleep and brain development mediated by evolutionary conserved transcription factors such as AP 2 30 Sleepwalking may be inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder with reduced penetrance Genome wide multipoint parametric linkage analysis for sleepwalking revealed a maximum logarithm of the odds score of 3 14 at chromosome 20q12 q13 12 between 55 6 and 61 4 cM 31 Sleepwalking has been hypothesized to be linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin which also appears to be metabolized differently in migraine patients and people with Tourette syndrome both populations being four to nine times more likely to experience an episode of sleepwalking 32 Hormonal fluctuations have been found to contribute to sleepwalking episodes in women with the likeliness to sleepwalk being higher before the onset of menstruation 33 It also appears that hormonal changes during pregnancy decrease the likelihood of engaging in sleepwalking 34 Medications primarily in four classes benzodiazepine receptor agonists and other GABA modulators antidepressants and other serotonergic agents antipsychotics and b blockers have been associated with sleepwalking 35 The best evidence of medications causing sleepwalking is for Zolpidem and sodium oxybate all other reports are based on associations noted in case reports 35 A number of conditions such as Parkinson s disease are thought to trigger sleepwalking in people without a previous history of sleepwalking 36 needs update Diagnosis editPolysomnography is the only accurate assessment of a sleepwalking episode Because this is costly and sleepwalking episodes are usually infrequent other measures commonly used include self parent or partner report Three common diagnostic systems that are generally used for sleepwalking disorders are International Classification of Diseases ICD 10 1 the International Classification of Sleep Disorders ICSD 3 37 and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 2 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual defines two subcategories of sleepwalking although sleepwalking does not need to involve either behaviours sleepwalking with sleep related eating sleepwalking with sleep related sexual behavior sexsomnia 2 Sleep eating involves consuming food while asleep These sleep eating disorders are more often than not induced for stress related reasons Another major cause of this sleep eating subtype of sleepwalking is sleep medication such as Ambien for example Mayo Clinic There are a few others but Ambien is a more widely used sleep aid 38 Because many sleep eaters prepare the food they consume there are risks involving burns and such with ovens and other appliances As expected weight gain is also a common outcome of this disorder because food that is frequently consumed contains high carbohydrates As with sleepwalking there are ways that sleep eating disorders can be maintained There are some medications that calm the sleeper so they can get longer and better quality rest but activities such as yoga can also be introduced to reduce the stress and anxiety causing the action 39 Differential diagnoses edit Sleepwalking should not be confused with alcohol or drug induced blackouts which can result in amnesia for events similar to sleepwalking During an alcohol induced blackout drug related amnesia a person is able to actively engage and respond to their environment e g having conversations or driving a vehicle however the brain does not create memories for the events 40 Alcohol induced blackouts can occur with blood alcohol levels higher than 0 06 g dl 41 A systematic review of the literature found that approximately 50 of drinkers have experienced memory loss during a drinking episode and have had associated negative consequences similar to sleepwalkers including injury and death 40 Other differential diagnoses include rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder confusional arousals and night terrors Assessment edit An assessment of sleepwalking via polysomnography poses the problem that sleepwalking is less likely to occur in the sleep laboratory and if an episode occurs it is usually less complex than what the patient experiences at home 42 43 44 Therefore the diagnosis can often be made by assessment of sleep history time course and content of the sleep related behaviors 45 Sometimes home videos can provide additional information and should be considered in the diagnostic process 46 Some features that should always be assessed include 47 Age of onset When the episode occurs during the sleep period How often these episodes occur frequency and how long they last duration Description of the episode including behavior emotions and thoughts during and after the event How responsive the patient is to external stimuli during the episode How conscious or aware the patient is when awakened from an episode If the episode is remembered afterwards The triggers or precipitating factors Sleep wake pattern and sleep environment Daytime sleepiness Other sleep disorders that might be present Family history for NREM parasomnias and other sleep disorders Medical psychiatric and neurological history Medication and substance use history The assessment should rule out differential diagnoses Treatment editThere have been no clinical trials to show that any psychological or pharmacological intervention is effective in preventing sleepwalking episodes 9 Despite this a wide range of treatments have been used with sleepwalkers Psychological interventions have included psychoanalysis hypnosis scheduled or anticipatory waking assertion training relaxation training managing aggressive feelings sleep hygiene classical conditioning including electric shock and play therapy Pharmacological treatments have included tricyclic antidepressants imipramine an anticholinergic biperiden antiepileptics carbamazepine valproate an antipsychotic quetiapine benzodiazepines clonazepam diazepam flurazepam and triazolam melatonin a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine a barbiturate sodium amytal and herbs 9 There is no evidence to show that waking sleepwalkers is harmful or not though the sleepwalker is likely to be disoriented if awakened as sleepwalking occurs during the deepest stage of sleep citation needed Unlike other sleep disorders sleepwalking is not associated with daytime behavioral or emotional problems This may be because the sleepwalker s sleep is not disturbed unless they are woken they are still in a sleep state while sleepwalking citation needed Maintaining the safety of the sleepwalker and others and seeking treatment for other sleep problems is recommended 9 Reassurance is recommended if sleepwalking is not causing any problems 9 However if it causes distress or there is risk of harm hypnosis and scheduled waking are recommended as treatments 9 Safety planning edit For those whose sleepwalking episodes are hazardous a door alarm may offer a measure of protection There are various kinds of door alarms that can attach to a bedroom door and when the door is opened the alarm sounds 48 The intention is that the sound will fully awaken the person and interrupt the sleepwalking episode or if the sleepwalker lives with others the sound will prompt them to check on the person Sleepwalkers should aim to have their bedrooms on the ground floor of a home apartment dorm hotel etc Sleepwalkers should not have easily accessible weapons loaded guns knives in the bedroom or any room of the house for that matter If there are weapons they should be locked away with keys secluded from the sleepwalker 11 For partners of sleepwalkers who are violent or disturb their sleep sleeping in another room may lead to better sleep quality and quantity Epidemiology editThe lifetime prevalence of sleepwalking is estimated to be 4 6 10 3 A meta analysis of 51 studies that included more than 100 000 children and adults found that sleepwalking is more common in children with an estimated 5 compared with 1 5 of adults sleepwalking at least once in the previous 12 months The rate of sleepwalking has not been found to vary across ages during childhood 49 History editSleepwalking has attracted a sense of mystery but was not seriously investigated and diagnosed until the 19th century The German chemist and parapsychologist Baron Karl Ludwig von Reichenbach 1788 1869 made extensive studies of sleepwalkers and used his discoveries to formulate his theory of the Odic force 50 Sleepwalking was initially thought to be a dreamer acting out a dream 6 For example in one study published by the Society for Science amp the Public in 1954 this was the conclusion Repression of hostile feelings against the father caused the patients to react by acting out in a dream world with sleepwalking the distorted fantasies they had about all authoritarian figures such as fathers officers and stern superiors 51 This same group published an article twelve years later with a new conclusion Sleepwalking contrary to most belief apparently has little to do with dreaming In fact it occurs when the sleeper is enjoying his most oblivious deepest sleep a stage in which dreams are not usually reported 52 More recent research has discovered that sleepwalking is actually a disorder of NREM non rapid eye movement arousal 6 Acting out a dream is the basis for a REM rapid eye movement sleep disorder called REM Behavior Disorder or REM Sleep Behavior Disorder 6 More accurate data about sleep is due to the invention of technologies such as the electroencephalogram EEG by Hans Berger in 1924 53 and BEAM by Frank Duffy in the early 1980s 54 In 1907 Sigmund Freud spoke about sleepwalking to the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society Nunberg and Federn He believed that sleepwalking was connected to fulfilling sexual wishes and was surprised that a person could move without interrupting their dream At that time Freud suggested that the essence of this phenomenon was the desire to go to sleep in the same area as the individual had slept in childhood Ten years later he speculated about somnambulism in the article A Metapsychological Supplement to the Theory of Dreams 1916 17 1915 In this essay he clarified and expanded his hypothetical ideas on dreams He described the dream as a fragile equilibrium that is destabilized by the repressed unconscious impulses of the unconscious system which does not obey the wishes of the ego Certain preconscious daytime thoughts can be resistant and these can retain a part of their cathexis as well Unconscious impulses and day residues can come together and result in a conflict Freud then wondered about the outcome of this wishful impulse an unconscious instinctual demand that becomes a dream wish in the preconscious Freud stated that this unconscious impulse could be expressed as mobility during sleep This would be what is observed in somnambulism though what actually makes it possible remains unknown 55 As of 2002 sleepwalking has not been detected in non human primates It is unclear whether it simply has not been observed yet or whether sleepwalking is a uniquely human phenomenon 56 Culture editOpera edit nbsp Amina the somnabuliste at the mill Vincenzo Bellini s 1831 Italian opera semiseria La sonnambula the plot of which is centered on the question of the innocence of the betrothed and soon to be married Amina who upon having been discovered in the bedchamber of a stranger and despite the assurances of that stranger that Amina was entirely innocent has been rejected by her enraged fiance Elvino who then decides to marry another In fact when stressed Amina was susceptible to somnambulism and had come to be in the stranger s bedchamber by sleep walking along a high parapet in full view of the opera s audience Elvino who later observes the exhausted by all the fuss Amina sleep walking across a very high very unstable and very rickety bridge at the local mill realizes his mistake abandons his plans of marriage to the other woman and re unites with Amina Jenny Lind and James Braid edit In August 1847 the famous soprano Jenny Lind visited Manchester and gave two performances as Amina The outstanding difference between Lind and her contemporaries was that whilst the beauty of her voice was far greater than any other in living memory thus the Swedish Nightingale what really set her apart was her outstanding ability to act and moreover in performing as Amina rather than walking along a wide and well protected walkway as the others did she routinely acrobatically balanced her way along narrow planks 57 While she was in Manchester on the basis that at the time many characterized hypnotism as artificial somnambulism 58 59 and that from a rather different perspective her stage performance could also be described as one of artificial rather than spontaneous somnambulism her friends arranged for her to visit the local surgeon James Braid who had discovered hypnotism in 1841 60 61 62 Mr Braid surgeon whose discoveries in hypnotism are well known having invited the fair impersonator of a somnambulist to witness some of the abnormal feats of a real somnambulist artificially thrown into that state it was arranged that a private seance should take place on Friday 3 September 1847 Manchester Guardian 8 September 1847 Drama edit nbsp Mary Hoare s painting Lady Macbeth Sleepwalking The sleepwalking scene Act V Scene 1 from William Shakespeare s tragic play Macbeth 1606 is one of the most famous scenes in all of literature In Walley Chamberlain Oulton s two act farce The Sleep Walker or Which is the Lady 1812 Somno a histrionic failed actor turned manservant relives his wished for roles when sleepwalking 63 Literature edit In Bram Stoker s novel Dracula the character Lucy Westenra is described as a sleepwalker It is while she is sleepwalking that Count Dracula lures and attacks her Sleepwalking as a legal defense editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sleepwalking news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message As sleepwalking behaviours occur without volition sleepwalking can be used as a legal defense as a form of legal automatism 64 An individual can be accused of non insane or insane automatism where The first is used as a defense for temporary insanity or involuntary conduct resulting in acquittal The latter results in a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity 65 This verdict of insanity can result in a court order to attend a mental institution 66 In the 1963 case Bratty v A G for Northern Ireland Lord Morris stated Each set of facts must require a careful examination of its own circumstances but if by way of taking an illustration it were considered possible for a person to walk in his sleep and to commit a violent crime while genuinely unconscious then such a person would not be criminally liable for that act 67 While the veracity of the cases are disputed by whom there have been acts of homicide where the prime suspect may have committed the act while sleepwalking Alternative explanations to homicidal or violent sleepwalking include malingering drug induced amnesia and other disorders in which sleep related violence may occur such as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder fugue states and episodic wandering 68 Historical cases edit nbsp Albert Tirrell was acquitted of the murder of Maria Bickford in 1846 under a defense that he was sleepwalking National Police Gazette 1846 1846 Albert Tirrell used sleepwalking as a defense against charges of murdering Maria Bickford a prostitute living in a Boston brothel 1961 Sergeant Willis Boshears confessed to strangling a local woman named Jean Constable in the early hours on New Years Day 1961 but claimed that he was asleep and only woke to realize what he had done He pled not guilty on the basis of being asleep at the time he committed the offence and was acquitted 69 70 In 1981 Steven Steinberg of Scottsdale Arizona was accused of killing his wife and acquitted on the grounds of temporary insanity 1991 R v Burgess Burgess was accused of hitting his girlfriend on the head with a wine bottle and then a video tape recorder He was found not guilty at Bristol Crown Court by reason of insane automatism 71 1992 R v Parks Parks was accused of killing his mother in law and attempting to kill his father in law He was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Canada 72 1994 Pennsylvania v Ricksgers Ricksgers was accused of killing his wife He was sentenced to life in prison without parole 73 1999 Arizona v Falater Scott Falater of Phoenix Arizona was accused of killing his wife The court concluded that the murder was too complex to be committed while sleepwalking Falater was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life with no possibility of parole 2001 California v Reitz Stephen Reitz killed his lover Eva Weinfurtner He told police he had no recollection of the attack but he had flashbacks of believing he was in a scuffle with a male intruder His parents testified in court that he had been a sleepwalker from childhood The court convicted Reitz of first degree murder in 2004 73 In 2001 Antonio Nieto murdered his wife and mother in law and attempted to murder his daughter and son before being disarmed Nieto claimed to have been asleep during the attack and dreaming that he was defending himself against aggressive ostriches However his children stated that he had recognized them and had told his son to not turn on the lights because their mother gravely injured already was sleeping In 2007 Nieto was sentenced to 10 years internment in a psychiatric hospital and ordered to pay 171 100 euros as compensation to the victims 74 Jules Lowe confessed to causing the death of his father Edward in 2004 but did not remember committing the act Jules used automatism as his defense and was found not guilty by reason of insanity and detained indefinitely in a secure hospital 75 He was released after ten months Brian Thomas was accused of killing his wife in 2008 while dreaming that he was fighting off intruders 76 He was freed in 2009 by a judge who found him not guilty of murder 77 78 See also editRapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder Sleep drivingReferences edit a b Zivetz Laurie 1992 The ICD 10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines Geneva Switzerland World Health Organization hdl 10665 37958 ISBN 9789241544221 OCLC 26553093 Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 a b c Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM 5 www psychiatry org Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 Retrieved 2022 02 18 I went driving and motorbiking in my sleep BBC News 2017 12 11 Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 Retrieved 2020 02 27 SLEEP Sex While Sleeping Is Real and May Be No Joke Michael Smith June 19 2006 MedPage Today access date 18 February 2022 SLEEP Sex While Sleeping Is Real and May Be No Joke www medpagetoday com 19 June 2006 Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 Retrieved 2022 02 18 a b c d e f g Swanson Jenifer ed Sleepwalking Sleep Disorders Sourcebook MI Omnigraphics 1999 249 254 351 352 Rachel Nowak 15 October 2004 Sleepwalking woman had sex with strangers New Scientist Archived from the original on 2007 05 09 Retrieved 2007 04 30 a b c Lavie Peretz Atul Malhotra and Giora Pillar Sleep disorders diagnosis management and treatment a handbook for clinicians London Martin Dunitz 2002 146 147 a b c d e f Stallman Helen M 2017 Assessment and treatment of sleepwalking in clinical practice Australian Family Physician 46 8 590 593 PMID 28787563 Archived from the original on 16 February 2022 a b Sleepwalking Symptoms and causes Mayo Clinic Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 Retrieved 2022 02 18 a b Schenck Carlos H March 2007 Sleep The Mysteries the Problems and the Solutions Avery Publishing pp 105 109 ISBN 978 1 58333 270 2 OCLC 1265420054 Willock Brent April 2022 On dreaming parasomnia dream enactment and murder Psychoanalytic Psychology 39 2 97 110 doi 10 1037 pap0000382 ISSN 1939 1331 S2CID 244209446 a b Stallman Helen M Kohler Mark J Biggs Sarah N Lushington Kurt Kennedy Declan 2017 09 25 Childhood Sleepwalking and Its Relationship to Daytime and Sleep Related Behaviors Sleep and Hypnosis International Journal 61 69 doi 10 5350 Sleep Hypn 2016 18 0122 Guilleminault Christian Palombini Luciana Pelayo Rafael Chervin Ronald D 1 January 2003 Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors in Prepubertal Children What Triggers Them Pediatrics 111 1 e17 e25 doi 10 1542 peds 111 1 e17 PMID 12509590 via pediatrics aappublications org Sleep terrors night terrors Symptoms and causes Mayo Clinic Retrieved 2019 03 25 Crisp A H Matthews BM Oakey M Crutchfield M et al 1990 Sleepwalking night terrors and consciousness British Medical Journal 300 6721 360 362 doi 10 1136 bmj 300 6721 360 PMC 1662124 PMID 2106985 Orme J E 1967 The Incidence of Sleepwalking in Various Groups Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Vol 43 Iss 3 pp 279 28 Idir Yannis Oudiette Delphine Arnulf Isabelle August 2022 Sleepwalking sleep terrors sexsomnia and other disorders of arousal the old and the new Journal of Sleep Research 31 4 e13596 doi 10 1111 jsr 13596 ISSN 0962 1105 PMID 35388549 S2CID 248000922 Idir Yannis Oudiette Delphine Arnulf Isabelle August 2022 Sleepwalking sleep terrors sexsomnia and other disorders of arousal the old and the new Journal of Sleep Research 31 4 e13596 doi 10 1111 jsr 13596 ISSN 0962 1105 PMID 35388549 S2CID 248000922 Idir Yannis Oudiette Delphine Arnulf Isabelle August 2022 Sleepwalking sleep terrors sexsomnia and other disorders of arousal the old and the new Journal of Sleep Research 31 4 e13596 doi 10 1111 jsr 13596 ISSN 0962 1105 PMID 35388549 S2CID 248000922 Idir Yannis Oudiette Delphine Arnulf Isabelle August 2022 Sleepwalking sleep terrors sexsomnia and other disorders of arousal the old and the new Journal of Sleep Research 31 4 e13596 doi 10 1111 jsr 13596 ISSN 0962 1105 PMID 35388549 S2CID 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Disorders Affecting the Mind Sherwood Gilbert and Piper London 1835 p p 410 Prichard James C 1835 A treatise on insanity and other disorders affecting the mind London Sherwood Gilbert and Piper via Archive org Jenny Lind at the Manufacturing Establishments Manchester Guardian No 1947 Saturday 4 September 1847 p 7 col C Jenny Lind and the Hypnotic Somnambulist Manchester Guardian No 1948 Wednesday 8 September 1847 p 5 col F Jenny Lind and the Manchester Somnambulists Newcastle Courant No 9015 Saturday 17 September 1847 p 2 col E Jenny Lind and Hypnotism The Medical Times Vol 16 No 416 18 September 1847 p 602 and Jenny Lind and Mesmerism The Lady s Newspaper No 39 Saturday 25 September 1847 p 294 col A Jenny Lind and the Mesmerist The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser Wednesday 26 January 1848 p 1 Storer H Jenny Lind and the Somnambulist The Critic A Journal for Readers Authors and Publishers Vol 6 No 145 9 October 1847 p 238 Braid J Letter to Dr Storer written on 28 September 1847 The Critic A Journal for Readers Authors and Publishers Vol 6 No 145 9 October 1847 p 238 Oulton Walley Chamberlain 16 March 1812 The Sleep Walker or Which is the Lady A Farce in Two Acts OCLC 1061924365 via Google Books Popat S Winslade W 2015 While You Were Sleepwalking Science and Neurobiology of Sleep Disorders amp the Enigma of Legal Responsibility of Violence During Parasomnia Neuroethics 8 2 203 214 doi 10 1007 s12152 015 9229 4 PMC 4506454 PMID 26203309 Canadian Legal Information Institute R v Parks 1992 Lederman Eliezer Non Insane and Insane Automatism Reducing the Significance of a Problematic Distinction The International and Comparative Law Quarterly 34 4 1985 819 Mackay Irene 1992 The Sleepwalker is Not Insane The Modern Law Review 55 5 715 716 doi 10 1111 j 1468 2230 1992 tb02845 x Culebras A 1996 Clinical Handbook of Sleep Disorders Massachusetts MA USA Butterworth Heinemann pp 317 319 ISBN 978 0 7506 9644 9 OCLC 34932724 Shearer Lloyd October 14 1961 He killed in his sleep Ottawa Citizen Donnelley Paul 2000 Essex Murders Wharncliffe Books Heaton Armstrong A Shepherd E Wolchover D eds 2002 Analysing Witness Testimony Psychological Investigative and Evidential Perspectives A Guide for Legal Practitioners and Other Professionals Blackstone Press ISBN 978 1 85431 731 5 Broughton et al Homicidal Somnambulism A Case Report Sleep 1994 17 3 253 64 a b Lyon Lindsey 8 May 2009 7 Criminal Cases That Invoked the Sleepwalking Defense US News amp World Report Acuerdan internar 10 anos al hombre que mato a su mujer y su suegra creyendolas avestruces They agreed to intern the man who killed his wife and mother in law for 10 years believing them to be ostriches Diario Sur in European Spanish 2007 02 21 Retrieved 2023 05 29 Sleepwalker accused of murder BBC News Online 10 March 2005 de Bruxelles Simon 18 November 2009 Sleepwalker Brian Thomas admits killing wife while fighting intruders in nightmare The Times London Retrieved 2009 12 26 Camper van dream killer Brian Thomas freed by judge BBC News Online 2009 11 20 Retrieved 2016 05 30 Man who killed his wife while sleeping goes free The Independent 2009 11 21 Retrieved 2016 05 30 Sources editWalker N Crime and Insanity in England Volume One The Historical Perspective Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press 1968 External links edit nbsp Media related to Sleepwalking at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sleepwalking amp oldid 1211601468, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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