EEG sleep and affective psychosis.

EEG sleep changes in delusional depression have been reported previously but no attempt has been made to examine sleep profiles among specific delusional subtypes. In 29 psychotically depressed patients, those patients with delusions of guilt or sin demonstrated both increased sleep discontinuity and decreased REM sleep, especially during the first REM period, while patients with somatic delusions showed increased REM activity, especially in the first REM period. The implications of these findings are discussed.