PERIODIC LIMB MOVEMENTS AND SLEEP-WAKE DISORDER

The relationship of periodic limb movements (PLM) and sleep-wake disor ders in 11 patients was investigated Two patients complained of insomn ia. A patient with cervical spinal canal stenosis had a complaint of d ifficulty in initiating sleep. Movement index (MI) was 51 and PLM arou sal index 8.A patient with chronic hemodialysis had a complaint of dif ficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep. MI was 79 and PLM arousal index was 51. One patient with myotonic dystrophy showed 79 in MI and 3 in PLM arousal index. It is suspected that myotonic dystrophy is le ss sensitive to stimuli during sleep (i.e. PLM). These results suggest that the sleep-wake disorders associated with PLM relate to the thres hold of awakening.