Sleep Walking

Question 1

What is sleep walking?

Answer 1

Refers to the activities occurring unconsciously when someone is asleep that normally occur when awake

Question 2

What is sleep walking also known as?

Answer 2

Somnambulism

Question 3

When in someone’s life is sleep walking more prevalent?

Answer 3

During childhood

Question 4

At which stage during sleep does sleep walking usually occur at?

Answer 4

During stage 3 or 4 early in the night

Question 5

What happens if sleep walking occurs during REM sleep?

Answer 5

It is classed as REM behaviour disorder

Question 6

Name 6 possible environmental causes of sleep walking

Answer 6

1) Stress
2) Alcohol intoxication
3) Sleep deprivation
4) Chaotic sleep schedules
5) Hypnosis
6) Drugs

Question 7

Name 4 possible medical conditions which may cause sleep walking

Answer 7

1) Fever
2) Night-time asthma
3) Night-time seizures
4) Sleep apnoea

Question 8

Name 3 psychiatric disorders which may cause sleep walking

Answer 8

1) Multiple personality disorder
2) Panic attacks
3) Stress disorders

Question 9

Outline Plazzi (2005)

Answer 9

Sleep deprivation, alcohol, fever, stress and psychiatric changes are risk factors

Question 10

What does the fact that risk factors trigger sleep walking in only some individuals mean?

Answer 10

It suggests that there is some inherited vulnerability

Question 11

What are the 2 possible explanations as to why sleep walking is more common in children?

Answer 11

1) They have more SWS than adults
2) Oliviero (2008) - suggested the system which inhibits motor activity in SWS not sufficiently developed in some children so then examined motor excitability of adult sleepwalkers during wakefulness and compared to controls, signs of immaturity in relevant neural circuits

Question 12

Name 4 research studies associated with sleepwalking

Answer 12

1) Broughton (1968)
2) Lecendreux (2003)
3) Zadra (2008)
4) Bassetti 2002)

Question 13

Outline Broughton (1968)

Answer 13

Found prevalence in first-degree relatives (parents, children, siblings) of an affected subject is at least ten times greater than in general population

Question 14

Outline Lecendreux (2003)

Answer 14

Report about 50% concordance in identical (MZ) twins compared to 10-15% in DZ twins, and identified gene that may be critical in sleepwalking

Question 15

Explain the diathesis-stress model for sleepwalking

Answer 15

Proposes that genes merely provide vulnerability (or diathesis) for disorder, but disorder will only occur in situations of environmental stress

Question 16

What study provides support for the diathesis-stress model for sleepwalking?

Answer 16

Zadra (2008)

Question 17

Outline Zadra (2008)

Answer 17

Found link between sleep deprivation and sleepwalking - ppts in sleep lab and their patterns monitored and made to be awake during the entire evening and the next morning they were allowed ‘recovery’ sleep (had been awake for 25 hours) and they videoed them. Results showed 50% ppts had 32 sleepwalking episodes whilst in ‘recovery’ sleep, 90% demonstrated 92 episodes in the second night so concluded sleep deprivation increases sleepwalking - sleep deprivation does not lead to sleepwalking in normal people so acts as a ‘stressor’ in those who have vulnerability

Question 18

Outline Bassetti (2002)

Answer 18

Gene-tested 16 adult sleepwalkers and found 50% had specific gene compared to 24% non-sleepwalkers - produced proteins called HLA that regulate immune system - same genetic variant HLA gene associated with narcolepsy

Question 19

Name and explain 2 negative points about Bassetti (2002)

Answer 19

1) Correlational

2) Unrepresentative sample of sleepwalkers - most do not seek help, are aware or doesn’t cause them too many problems

Question 20

Explain the IDA point for sleepwalking

Answer 20

Real-world application - used as a defence in murder cases - for example in 2003, Jules Lowe killed elderly father and claimed sleepwalking - they made observations and had a history and so was proved - however ruled as ‘insanity’ so in psychiatric hospital for an indefinite amount of time