REM sleep behavior disorder and narcoleptic features in anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis

Sleep. 2007 Jun;30(6):767-9. doi: 10.1093/sleep/30.6.767.

Abstract

A 69-year-old man with anti-Ma2 paraneoplastic encephalitis presented with subacute onset of severe hypersomnia, memory loss, parkinsonism, and gaze palsy. A brain magnetic resonance imaging study showed bilateral damage in the dorsolateral midbrain, amygdala, and paramedian thalami. Videopolysomnography disclosed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, and a Multiple Sleep Latency Test showed a mean sleep latency of 7 minutes and 4 sleep-onset REM periods. The level of hypocretin-1 in the cerebrospinal fluid was low (49 pg/mL). This observation illustrates that REM sleep behavior disorder and narcoleptic features are 2 REM-sleep abnormalities that (1) may share the same autoimmune-mediated origin affecting the brainstem, limbic, and diencephalic structures and (2) may occur in the setting of the paraneoplastic anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Brain / immunology*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Encephalitis / complications*
  • Encephalitis / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Narcolepsy / complications*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology*
  • REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / complications*
  • REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / diagnosis
  • REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Autoantibodies
  • Ma2 antigen
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins