Sleep terror disorder

Sleep terror disorder is a condition that affects the brain's control of sleep and causes sudden episodes of intense fear during deep sleep. These episodes often involve screaming, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat, and they usually happen during the first part of the night. People experiencing sleep terrors may appear awake but are actually still asleep and often do not remember the event the next day. This disorder primarily involves the nervous system and disrupts normal sleep patterns, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime tiredness. It is more common in children but can also affect adults. The episodes can be frightening for both the person experiencing them and their family members.

Sleep terror disorder is classified as a parasomnia characterized by abrupt arousals from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, specifically during slow-wave sleep (stage N3). It involves intense autonomic and behavioral manifestations such as screaming, tachycardia, and motor agitation without full awakening or detailed dream recall. The pathophysiology is thought to involve incomplete arousal from deep sleep, leading to a dissociation between the brainstem and cortical activity. It is often triggered by factors that disrupt sleep architecture, including sleep deprivation, stress, or fever. The disorder is significant because it can cause sleep fragmentation and daytime impairment, and it must be differentiated from other nocturnal events like nightmares or nocturnal seizures.