Antidepressants Linked to Sleep Disorder
Normally when we are in the REM stage of sleep, the period when we experience dreaming, our skeletal muscles are paralyzed, preventing us from acting out our dreams. Those with REM behavior disorder, however, don't experience this protective paralysis. If the person is dreaming, for example, about fighting an intruder, they may actually be kicking and punching their spouse lying in bed next to them. Because of this, REM behavior disorder is potentially dangerous.
REM behavior disorder is rare--only 0.5 percent of people have it and 90 percent of those cases are among men 50 and older--but researchers say it is starting to appear more often among young men, women and children. They suspect this is because of the common use of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, include the popular drugs Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.
Although scientists don't know the exact mechanism, they believe that these antidepressants affect the same neurotransmitters responsible for sleep paralysis.
Patients who experience REM behavior disorder due to an antidepressant can be easily treated by switching them to an antidepressant like Wellbutrin, which does not seem to trigger the disorder.
Dr. R. Robert Auger, a Mayo Clinic sleep medicine specialist, presented the results of the research last June 19 at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies' SLEEP 2006 meeting in Salt Lake City.
Comments
Thank you for this information. I believe that I have this problem, and never knew what was the matter. In the past month, I have kicked and punched my spouse while sleeping and woke him up with a bloodcurdling scream. I will bring this REM behavior disorder up with my psychiatrist next week. Again, thanks.
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I was interested to read your artical as I have found it difficult to get information about rem behaviour disorder. My daughters symptoms started at the age of 12 years and were a real problem for a couple of years. She is now nearly 15 and now has problems only occasionally. She has never taken any medications in her life other than the occasional painkiller. I have wondered if in her case it was related to puberty. Our worst incident was when travelling in the outside lane of the motorway.She was asleepin the passenger seat and suddenly sat up, undid her seat belt and opened the car door. I have a great worry about herwhen she eventually leaves home.
This information was helpful. I’m doing a persuasive paper on Antidepressants doing more harm than good for my Junior English class and this informtion will add to my arguements, thank you.