Novel Objective Measures of Hypersomnolence.

Purpose of review: To provide a brief overview of current objective measures of hypersomnolence, discuss proposed measure modifications, and review emerging measures. Recent findings: There is potential to optimize current tools using novel metrics. High-density and quantitative EEG-based measures may provide discriminative informative. Cognitive testing may quantify cognitive dysfunction common to hypersomnia disorders, particularly in attention, and objectively measure pathologic sleep inertia. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies in narcolepsy type 1 have shown considerable variability but so far implicate both hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic regions; fewer studies of other CDH have been performed. There is recent renewed interest in pupillometry as a measure of alertness in the evaluation of hypersomnolence. Summary: No single test captures the full spectrum of disorders and use of multiple measures will likely improve diagnostic precision. Research is needed to identify novel measures and disease-specific biomarkers, and to define combinations of measures optimal for CDH diagnosis.

Behavioral validation of the University of Michigan REM behavior disorder questionnaire in the synucleinopathies.

Many questionnaires have been proposed to collect data related to dream enactment. These are typically validated by reference to objective measurements of polysomnography, which incorporate physiologic recording of muscle activity during sleep. Another approach to such questionnaire validation would be the direct behavioral observations of patients' sleep. In the course of an ongoing study, we examined the association between sleep technologists' observations of dream enactment on two consecutive sleep laboratory nights and patients' and bedpartners' responses on the University of Michigan REM Behavior Disorder Questionnaire (UMRBDQ). Results suggested good correspondence between laboratory-based observations and questionnaire responses that did not appear to be impacted by whether the patient or the bedpartner completed the questionnaire. These results suggest utility of the UMRBDQ to identify individuals who have dream enactment during sleep.