Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease Presenting with Sleep Terrors

ABSTRACT

We report adult-onset sleep terrors in a patient with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. A 42-year-old woman presented with abnormal behaviors during sleep. Neurologic examination revealed mild hypomimia, resting tremor and bradykinesia in her right upper limb indicating early Parkinson's disease. An episode would consist of sitting up in bed, screaming, then clapping her hands and more talking, shouting, screaming, and appearing frightened. Polysomnography documented 2 episodes of parasomnia which occurred in slow wave sleep indicating sleep terrors.