Question

Difficulty: EasySleep-Wake Disorders

Match each clinical presentation with the most likely sleep-wake disorder diagnosis.

  • A 55-year-old obese man presents with loud snoring, witnessed gasping during sleep, and morning headaches.Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • A 22-year-old woman experiences overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden bilateral muscle weakness triggered by laughing.Narcolepsy Type 1
  • A 45-year-old woman complains of a 'crawling' sensation in her legs occurring only when lying in bed, which improves with walking.Restless Legs Syndrome
  • A 68-year-old man frequently punches and kicks his partner during sleep while 'fighting off attackers' in his vivid dreams.REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Answer

Obstructive Sleep Apnea matches with the snoring and obese patient. Narcolepsy Type 1 matches with the sleepiness and cataplexy presentation. Restless Legs Syndrome matches with the leg crawling sensation. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder matches with the dream enactment.
Each presentation matches a distinct sleep disorder mechanism: anatomical airway obstruction causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea; hypocretin deficiency causes the cataplexy seen in Narcolepsy Type 1; dopaminergic dysfunction is thought to drive the sensory urges in Restless Legs Syndrome; and brainstem pathway degeneration leads to the loss of atonia in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first clinical vignette regarding the 55-year-old obese man.
The symptoms of loud snoring, witnessed gasping, and morning headaches indicate upper airway collapse during sleep.
This constellation of symptoms perfectly matches Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
2
Analyze the second clinical vignette regarding the 22-year-old woman.
The presence of overwhelming daytime sleepiness alongside sudden muscle weakness triggered by laughter (cataplexy) is identified.
Cataplexy is highly specific for Narcolepsy Type 1.
3
Analyze the third clinical vignette regarding the 45-year-old woman.
The 'crawling' sensation in the legs that occurs at rest and is relieved by movement is recognized.
These are the diagnostic clinical criteria for Restless Legs Syndrome.
4
Analyze the fourth clinical vignette regarding the 68-year-old man.
The act of physically fighting during vivid dreams indicates a failure of the normal motor paralysis that should occur during REM sleep.
This lack of REM atonia with dream enactment defines REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Key Concept

Clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of primary sleep-wake disorders.
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