Neurológia pre prax 6/2024

Sleep disorders and stroke

Sleep disorders represent a common comorbidity in patients with stroke. Their relationships are complex and bidirectional. Sleep disorders can act as a risk factor for the development of stroke. On the other hand, lesions in the central nervous system can lead to sleep disturbances. Sleep disorders and their treatment can significantly modify the recovery process of the patient and also affect the risk of stroke recurrence. In the following text, we present the mentioned topic. We focus not only on the well-studied sleep apnea but also explain the role of sleep-related movement disorders and insomnia. The interactions of stroke with hypersomnias, circadian rhythm disorders, and parasomnias will need to be more thoroughly investigated by future prospective studies.

Keywords: stroke, sleep-related breathing disorders, insomnia disorders, central disorders of hypersomnolence, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, sleep-related movement disorders, parasomnias