The Cerebellum and Sleep

The importance of the cerebellum in sleep disorders, and vice versa, is only beginning to be understood. Advanced neuroimaging modalities have revealed cerebellar changes in both common and rare sleep disorders. Sleep disorders in those with genetic cerebellar disease, such as spinocerebellar ataxia, Friedreich ataxia, Joubert syndrome, and ataxia–telangiectasia, include excessive daytime sleepiness, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements of sleep, obstructive apnea, central apnea, and rapid eye movement behavior disorder. Sleep medicine is an important and under-recognized part of the neurologic evaluation in those with cerebellar disease.