Night Terror - Associated Features of Night Terrors

Associated Features of Night Terrors

During night terror bouts, patients are usually described as 'bolting upright' with their eyes wide open and a look of fear and panic on their face. They will often scream. Further, they will usually sweat, exhibit rapid respiration, and have a rapid heart rate (autonomic signs). In some cases, individuals are likely to have even more elaborate motor activity, such as a thrashing of limbs -- which may include punching, swinging, or fleeing motions. There is a sense that the individual is trying to protect themselves and/or escape from a possible threat which can lead to physical injury of the individual. Although it seems like children are awake during a night terror, they will appear confused, be inconsolable and/or unresponsive toward attempts to communicate with them, and may not recognize others familiar to them.

During lab tests, subjects are known to have very high voltages of electroencephalography (EEG) delta activity, an increase in muscle tone, and a doubled increase in heart rate, if not more. Brain activities during a typical episode show theta and alpha activity when using an EEG. It is also common to see abrupt arousal from NREM sleep that does not progress into a full episode of a night terror. These episodes can include tachycardia.

There is a close association with psychopathology or mental disorders in adults that suffer from sleep terror disorder. There may be an increased occurrence of sleep terror disorder particularly with those that have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder. Night terrors are closely linked to sleepwalking and frontal lobe epilepsy. It is also likely that some personality disorders may occur in individuals with sleep terror disorder, such as dependent, schizoid, and borderline personality disorders. There have been some symptoms of depression and anxiety that have increased in individuals that have suffered from frequent night terrors. Low blood sugar is associated with both pediatric and adult night terrors.