A study published in the June 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found that people with narcolepsy have a high frequency of REM sleep without atonia and of elevated EMG phasic density.
The study, conducted by researchers in the University of Montreal, involved 16 patients with narcolepsy and cataplexy and 16 patients with “idiopathic” REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and 16 control patients.
Researchers found that there was a higher percentage of REM sleep without atonia, phasic EMG activity, REM density in patients with narcolepsy than those with neither narcolepsy or RBD. They also found that RBD patients had a higher percentage of REM sleep without atonia, but a lower REM density than patients with narcolepsy or neither.
