AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS IN REM-SLEEP ASSO CIATED PARASOMNIA

This 52-year old man suffered from auditory hallucinations that occurr ed during brief episodes of sleep paralysis at the end of REM sleep pe riods. During these episodes the patient experienced a dissociated sta te of consciousness with REM sleep intrusions into wakefulness. The oc currence of this mixed state, and of excessive sleep-onset REM periods during daytime polysomnography (MSLT = Multiple Sleep Latency Test), point to a disorder of REM sleep generation. The existence of narcolep sy could be ruled out. The observation of REM sleep-associated halluci nations has been reported earlier. In the presented polysomnographic s leep studies the existence of a REM sleep associated parasomnia charac terised by hallucinations and sleep paralysis could be confirmed.