REM-sleep alterations in children with co-existence of tic disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: impact of hypermotor symptoms.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To characterize precisely the sleep pattern in children with co-existence of TD + ADHD. METHODS: By means of polysomnography, sleep pattern was investigated in 19 children with TD + ADHD unmedicated before and during study and 19 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and intelligence. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, children with TD + ADHD displayed shorter REM sleep latency and increased REM sleep duration. There was a negative correlational relationship between these REM-sleep alterations and they were determined by hyperactivity symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep in children with coexistence of TD + ADHD may be characterized by an elevated REM sleep drive. Common mechanisms are suggested to underpin hypermotor symptoms and REM sleep regulation.