Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of abnormal findings in sleep recordings of patients with SCA2.

Background: Similar to other movement disorders, SCA2 may have abnormalities of sleep, even in asymptomatic patients. Nevertheless, these abnormalities may impact daily quality-of-life.

Methods: Fifteen patients with genetically-confirmed SCA2 from the Movement Disorders Outpatient group of the Hospital de Clínicas da UFPR were evaluated with the following scales: SARA, Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Inventory, Berlin Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepness Scale and Hamilton’s Depression Rating Scale. Polysomnographic recordings were performed with a digital recording equipment and sleep stages were scored according to standard criteria. There were 10 male subjects and 5 females, aged 24-66 years (mean 47.53). A sex and age-matched control group with healthy subjects was used for comparison.

Results: There was an increased latency of sleep in 10 patients (66.66%); reduction of REM-sleep in eight (53.33%); increase REM-latency in 9 (60%); increased obstructive sleep apnea-index in 11 (73.33%); increased arousal-index in 11 (73.33%); absent REM-densitiy in 13 (86.66%) and reduced REM-density in 1 (6.66%); increased muscle-tone during REM-sleep in one (6.66%). Higher numbers of abnormalities in polysomnographic recordings were found in more severely compromised subjects according to the SARA scale. However, even those with abnormal recordings, did not report subjective perception of sleepness in specific scales.

Conclusions: REM sleep was markedly reduced in SCA2 patients in advanced stages of the disease, with a significant reduction of eye-movement density. There was also an increase of arousal index, and as a result of these abnormalities there was a decline in sleep efficiency.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/abnormal-findings-in-polisomnographic-records-of-patients-with-spinocerebellar-ataxia-type-2-sca2/