Sleep disturbances in craniopharyngioma: a challenging diagnosis

We report two cases of patients with craniopharyngioma, who came to our attention due t o the occurrence of episodes characterized by psychomotor slowing and afinalistic limb movements, temporal and spatial disorientation, psychomotor agitation, and oneiric stupor like episodes. A comprehensive clinical data collection and a targeted diagnostic work-up led to a diagnosis of severe slee p disorder characterized by hypersomnia, altered sleep–wake rhythm, and sleep-related breathing disorder. In addition, the polysomnography revealed peculiar alterations in the sleep structure. The diagnostic work-up lead to an accurate differential diagnosis between epileptic seizures and episodes expressions of sleep disturbances. These clinical features can be challenging to diagnose and can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Diagnosis of sleep disorders is crucial, considering the impact of sleep on general health, cognition, and neuropsychological functioning. These findin gs support the need to incorporate a comprehensive sleep evaluation in childhood brain tumor involving the suprasellar/hypothalamic region.
Source: Journal of Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research