Question

You hear of a student in your dorm who, while he was asleep, tried to attack his roommate. He is likely suffering from a.) narcolepsy b.) niche adaptation c.) fatal familial insomnia d.) REM behavior disorder

Answer 1

The student in your dorm who attacked his roommate in sleep is likely suffering from REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), which is characterized by high levels of physical activity during REM sleep.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student was likely suffering from REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). This disorder occurs when muscle paralysis, which usually happens in the REM phase of sleep, does not occur. People with RBD engage in high levels of physical activity during REM sleep, especially during disturbing dreams, and may exhibit behaviors such as kicking, punching, and even, as in this case, attempting to attack others.

While other sleep disorders can include unwanted motor activity such as sleepwalking, night terrors, and restless leg syndrome, these are notably different from RBD in several ways, and do not typically manifest as attempted attacks on others. For instance, sleepwalking tends to occur during slow-wave sleep and not REM sleep, and is often unresponsive to external efforts to communicate. Also, narcolepsy is characterized by an irresistible urge to fall asleep during waking hours, not violent behavior during sleep.

Learn more about REM sleep behavior disorder