Kleine-Levin syndrome: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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Klein-Levin syndrome manifests itself as periodic hypersomnia, paroxysmal hunger with hyperphagia, periods of motor anxiety, episodic hyperosmia, sexual hyperactivity. Usually during the attacks of the disease the patient sleeps from 18 to 20 hours or more per day. In the waking state, hyperphagia and masturbation are observed. Attacks cease spontaneously; as a rule, the patient does not remember about them. In the periods between attacks, there are no pathological abnormalities, other than obesity. However, a polygraph study of night sleep in the interictal period made it possible to detect an increase in the duration of sleep, an increase in the representation of delta sleep. EEG features, characteristic for patients with hypothalamic insufficiency, have also been noted. The syndrome is observed in boys during puberty and usually disappears by the age of 20.
Single manifestations of the syndrome in girls and adults are described.
The pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood. Probably, there is subclinical permanent dysfunction of the hypothalamus and limbic system of the biochemical level, periodically decompensating and causing clinical manifestations.
The reasons for the development of Klein-Levin syndrome are unclear.
Treatment of Klein-Levin syndrome. Adequate methods of therapy do not exist. Recommended therapeutic effects, used in cerebral obesity.
In addition to these syndromes, obesity is revealed in the clinical picture of a number of hereditary diseases: the syndromes of Prader-Willy, Lawrence-Moon-Biddle-Barde, Alström-Halgren, Edwards, Wulff.