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Thirty Years' War: A Battle with Insomnia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

J. R. Newton ,
C. Shapiro  and
A. Stewart
J. R. Newton*
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
C. Shapiro
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
A. Stewart
Affiliation:
Royal Victoria Hospital, Craigleith Road, Edinburgh
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

A 72-year-old man with a 30-year complaint of intractable insomnia had a positive family history of depression. He first came to psychiatric attention in 1958, after attacking his wife. He was prescribed barbiturates, and later was given meprobamate and nitrazepam, but with no effect on his complaint. The patient tended to increase the dosage of any drug given, of his own accord. EEG sleep recording confirmed the diagnosis of nocturnal myoclonus. It was hoped that at the case conference further treatment stratagems would be suggested.

Type
Case Conference
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 154 , Issue 5 , May 1989 , pp. 691 - 696
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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