An Interesting Dream as a Provoking Factor for Relapse in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Report
Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi *
MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahsa Owji
MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Ali Sahraian
MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Mohammad Masoud Hojjati
Department of Neurology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: To present a patient suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) with the noticeable conformity to dream elements with what had occurred in subsequent days (i.e. the relapse of MS).
Presentation of Case: The patient is a 27-year-old man who is a known case of MS. The sleep pattern of the patient changed simultaneously with the initiation of the disease. He had recurring nightmares. After some of these nightmares, the patient developed signs that mainly lasted for less than 24 hours; however, two nightmares were specifically followed by MS attacks.
Discussion: According to Revonsue’s theory, dreams are a reconstruction of stressful conditions from the environment that helps the brain face dangerous factors while awake. Therefore, stressful conditions can lead to an increase of nightmares. It is probable that the anxiety in MS patients can provide a stressful environment that, based on Revonsue’s theory, can explain the increase of nightmares in our patient.
Conclusion: It is possible that a nightmare, as a stress factor, prepares the patient for a relapse.
Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, dream, Revonsue’s theory, relapse