Abstract
In a previous study, one of the authors (C.C.B.) found isolated sleep paralysis was common in blacks. In this study, conducted by interviews, a recurrent pattern (one or more episodes per month) of isolated sleep paralysis episodes in blacks was described by at least 25 percent of the afflicted sample studied. Frequent episodes were associated with stress, and subjects with isolated sleep paralysis had an unusually high prevalence of panic disorder (15.5 percent). The genetic transmission of sleep paralysis was studied in a large black family, and in addition to stressful environmental factors being associated with the condition, there appears to be a dominant genetic factor associated with the predisposition for developing sleep paralysis. The implications of these findings for stress, anxiety, sleep, and psychophysiologic disorders are discussed.
Full text
PDF










Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bell C. C., Shakoor B., Thompson B., Dew D., Hughley E., Mays R., Shorter-Gooden K. Prevalence of isolated sleep paralysis in black subjects. J Natl Med Assoc. 1984 May;76(5):501–508. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bell C. C. States of consciousness. J Natl Med Assoc. 1980 Apr;72(4):331–334. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burstein A. Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder with imipramine. Psychosomatics. 1984 Sep;25(9):681–687. doi: 10.1016/S0033-3182(84)72977-X. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Charney D. S., Heninger G. R., Breier A. Noradrenergic function in panic anxiety. Effects of yohimbine in healthy subjects and patients with agoraphobia and panic disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984 Aug;41(8):751–763. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790190025003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Charney D. S., Heninger G. R. Noradrenergic function and the mechanism of action of antianxiety treatment. II. The effect of long-term imipramine treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1985 May;42(5):473–481. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1985.01790280055005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Crowe R. R., Noyes R., Pauls D. L., Slymen D. A family study of panic disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1983 Oct;40(10):1065–1069. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1983.01790090027004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ettedgui E., Bridges M. Posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1985 Mar;8(1):89–103. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Falcon S., Ryan C., Chamberlain K., Curtis G. Tricyclics: possible treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 1985 Sep;46(9):385–388. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GOODE G. B. Sleep paralysis. Arch Neurol. 1962 Mar;6:228–234. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1962.00450210056006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Harris E. L., Noyes R., Jr, Crowe R. R., Chaudhry D. R. Family study of agoraphobia. Report of a pilot study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1983 Oct;40(10):1061–1064. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1983.01790090023003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Marks I., Lader M. Anxiety states (anxiety neurosis): a review. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1973 Jan;156(1):3–18. doi: 10.1097/00005053-197301000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Noyes R., Jr, Clancy J., Crowe R., Hoenk R. P., Slymen D. J. The familial prevalence of anxiety neurosis. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1978 Sep;35(9):1057–1074. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1978.01770330031002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pauls D. L., Noyes R., Jr, Crowe R. R. The familial prevalence in second-degree relatives of patients with anxiety neurosis (panic disorder). J Affect Disord. 1979 Dec;1(4):279–285. doi: 10.1016/0165-0327(79)90014-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Roth B., Buůhová S., Berková L. Familial sleep paralysis. Schweiz Arch Neurol Neurochir Psychiatr. 1968;102(2):321–330. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Schlauch R. Hypnopompic hallucinations and treatment with imipramine. Am J Psychiatry. 1979 Feb;136(2):219–220. doi: 10.1176/ajp.136.2.219. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Uhlenhuth E. H., Balter M. B., Mellinger G. D., Cisin I. H., Clinthorne J. Symptom checklist syndromes in the general population. Correlations with psychotherapeutic drug use. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1983 Nov;40(11):1167–1173. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1983.01790100013001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weissman M. M., Myers J. K., Harding P. S. Psychiatric disorders in a U.S. urban community: 1975-1976. Am J Psychiatry. 1978 Apr;135(4):459–462. doi: 10.1176/ajp.135.4.459. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]