SLEEPWALKING ASSOCIATED WITH HYPERTHYROIDISM

Objective: To report several cases of hyperthyroidism in patients presenting with the unusual symptom of sleepwalking and to discuss the possible pathophysiologic basis for this novel association. Methods: After encountering and reporting the first case of new-onset somnambulism in a patient presenting with thyrotoxicosis at our institution, we routinely inquired about the sleep history of patients with thyrotoxicosis, questioning both the patients and family members when applicable. Those patients who actually had sleepwalking episodes coinciding with the onset of thyrotoxicosis underwent close follow-up, and the relationship between the sleepwalking and the results of thyroid function tests was analyzed. In addition, we reviewed the literature on psychiatric disorders and sleep problems, and the pathophysiologic rationale for a cause-and-effect relationship is discussed. Results: We collected 8 cases of patients with new-onset sleepwalking episodes that coincided with the start of thyrotoxicosis. The di...