Sleep Patterns in Patients With Huntington's Disease and Their Unaffected First-Degree Relatives: A Brief Report

Abstract

Polysomnographic sleep patterns in Huntington's disease (HD) have been studied sporadically in small groups of patients, providing variable results. In this study, by comparing the polysomnographic sleep patterns of HD patients and their unaffected relatives, identifying sleep traits more specifically related to the HD gene was attempted. The results corroborated previously reported findings of prolonged sleep latency and the virtual absence of nocturnal respiratory disturbances in early HD. Sleep latency in the HD patients positively correlated with the results of a screening test for frontal lobe dysfunction. Larger, more standardized studies will be needed to correlate genetic markers and sleep patterns in HD.

Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Circadian Dysfunction as well as Motor Symptoms in the Q175 Mouse Model of Huntington’s Disease

“…A range of circadian deficits in the mouse models of HD have been reported, detailing the impact on rhythms in behavior and physiology (Bourne et al, 2006; Ciammola et al, 2006; Grimbergen et al, 2008; Cuturic et al, 2009; Kuljis et al, 2012; Fisher et al, 2016). The findings suggest that the most common sleep-related clinical complaints of HD patients (i.e., difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during sleep, and difficulty staying awake during the active cycle) are due, at least in part, to the disease-induced dysfunction in the circadian system.…”

“…Disturbances in the timing of sleep, typified by frequent bedtime awakenings, prolonged latency to fall asleep, and more naps during the awake phase, are extremely common in HD and often become apparent years before the onset of classic motor symptoms (Cuturic et al, 2009; Aziz et al, 2010a; Goodman et al, 2011). Similarly, mouse models of HD also exhibit a disrupted circadian rest/activity cycle that mimics the symptoms observed in human patients (Morton et al, 2005; Kudo et al, 2011; Loh et al, 2013).…”

Disruption of Peripheral Circadian Timekeeping in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease and Its Restoration by Temporally Scheduled Feeding

“…Although characterized by progressive striatal degeneration and motor symptoms, HD has a complexity of symptoms encompassing motor, cognitive, and psychiatric domains. HD patients also exhibit perturbed sleep and circadian rhythms (Morton et al, 2005;Arnulf et al, 2008;Aziz et al, 2009;Cuturic et al, 2009).…”

'The clocks that time us'—circadian rhythms in neurodegenerative disorders

“…A later study, published in 1985, described increased sleep latency, worse sleep efficiency and interspersed wakefulness in a small cohort of patients with HD. 133 The few subsequent polysomnography studies have confirmed these findings; 132,135–137,147 in addition, decreased slow-wave sleep, 135,136,147 REM sleep disturbances 132,135,137 and an increased number of sleep spindles have been documented. 134,147 …”