Hypersomnia associated with bilateral posterior hypothalamic lesion - A polysomnographic case study

We examined an obese 58-year-old patient with a bilateral posterior
hypothalamic lesion of unknown etiology. A 24-hour polysomnography
revealed a markedly increased total sleep time (17.6 h). During
daytime, only 3 continuous wake phases occurred. REM periods
occurred only between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. We conclude from our
results that, similar to the results from animal experiments, the
posterior hypothalamus in humans plays a critical role in the
maintenance of wakefulness. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.