Abstract
Methods: Sleep was studied in 11 patients (six women and five men; mean (SD) age 63.6 (7.8) years) who underwent STN-DBS. Subjective sleep evaluation was assessed by clinical sleep interview and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) questionnaire, and sleep architecture by polysomnography with audiovisual recording. Nocturnal mobility was evaluated.
Results: Before surgery, eight patients rated their sleep quality as unsatisfactory; seven of these had a marked improvement after surgery, and the PSQI questionnaire showed significantly improved sleep quality. After surgery, polysomnography showed an increase in the longest period of uninterrupted sleep and a decrease in the arousal index. There was an increase in nocturnal mobility after surgery, but no change in REM sleep behaviour disorder.
Conclusions: In advanced Parkinson's disease, chronic STN-DBS is associated with subjective improvement in sleep quality, probably through increased nocturnal mobility and reduction of sleep fragmentation.
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