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Actigraphic assessment of sleep in young adults with Asperger syndrome
Author(s) -
TANI PEKKA,
LINDBERG NINA,
WENDT TAIIEMINENVON,
VON WENDT LENNART,
ALANKO LAURI,
APPELBERG BJÖRN,
PORKKAHEISKANEN TARJA
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2005.01359.x
Subject(s) - actigraphy , insomnia , anxiety , asperger syndrome , psychology , psychiatry , sleep (system call) , sleep onset , feeling , sleep diary , clinical psychology , audiology , medicine , autism , social psychology , computer science , operating system
A high prevalence of subjective insomnia in adults with Asperger syndrome has been reported. In the present study the sleep quality of these patients was studied using wrist actigraphy. Nineteen adults with Asperger syndrome and frequent feelings of insomnia were compared with 10 controls devoid of neuropsychiatric disorders and subjective sleep problems during six consecutive nights. The patients had similar actigraphic sleep profile to the controls. The subjective low sleep quality in patients was not reflected in actigraphic assessment of sleep. This finding suggests that pervasive anxiety inherent in persons with Asperger syndrome predisposes them to insomnia complaints.