Hallucinations and sleep-wake cycle in Alzheimer's disease: a questionnaire-based study in 218 patients

• Published in: Neurological sciences 2007-04, Vol.28 (2), p.96-99
• Main Authors: Sinforiani, E, Terzaghi, M, Pasotti, C, Zucchella, C, Zambrelli, E, Manni, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - complications; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Disease Progression; Female; Hallucinations - diagnosis; Hallucinations - etiology; Hallucinations - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Neurology; Neurosciences; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - diagnosis; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - etiology; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - physiopathology; Sleep - physiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - diagnosis; Sleep Wake Disorders - etiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - physiopathology; Sleep, REM - physiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Wakefulness - physiology
• ISSN: 1590-1874; 1590-3478
• DOI: 10.1007/s10072-007-0794-0

The aim was to evaluate the relationship between hallucinations and the sleep-wake cycle in a sample of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the early-moderate stage. Two hundred and eighteen AD patients (66 males, 152 females, mean age 74.3+/-6.85) were administered a sleep questionnaire in the presence of a care-giver. Twenty-six out of 218 (12%) reported the occurrence of hallucinations, mainly visual. In 18/28 (69%) hallucinations occurred when the patient was awake and in 8 (31%) hallucinations were reported to occur close to a specific phase of the sleep-wake cycle. Vivid dreams were reported in 25/218 (11%) and violent sleep-related and dream-related behaviours (probable REM behaviour episodes) in 22/218 (10%). Both REM phenomena were more frequent in AD hallucinators than in AD non-hallucinators (26.9% vs. 9.3%, and 26.9% vs. 7.8%, p