Sleepwalking episodes are preceded by arousal-related activation in the cingulate motor area: EEG current density imaging

Abstract

Objective: To investigate local arousal fluctuations in adults who received ICSD-2 diagnosis of somnambulism.

Methods: EEG neuroimaging (eLORETA) was utilized to compare current density distribution for 4s epochs immediately preceding sleepwalking episode (from -4.0 s to 0 s) to the distribution during earlier 4s epochs (from -8.0 s to -4.0 s) in 20 EEG segments from 15 patients.

Results: Comparisons between eLORETA images revealed significant (t>4.52; p<0.05) brain activations before onset of sleepwalking, with greater current density within beta 3 frequency range (24-30 Hz) in Brodmann areas 33 and 24.

Conclusions: Sleepwalking motor events are associated with arousal-related activation of cingulate motor area.

Significance: These results support the notion of blurred boundaries between wakefulness and NREM sleep in sleepwalking.

Keywords: Cingulate motor areas; Local arousal; NREM parasomnia; Somnambulism; eLORETA.