Exploring the Link Between Hypersomnolence and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series.

Objectives: The etiology of hypersomnia remains largely unknown, while the concept of complex post-traumatic stress disorder has recently emerged in the field of psychotraumatology. This case series report aims at highlighting a possible association between hypersomnia and trauma-related disorders.Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records conducted as part of routine clinical practice. This case series comprises 17 consecutive patients previously diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia based on clinical and neurophysiological evaluations, all of whom underwent psychological and psychometric evaluations.Results: Two-thirds of patients met criteria for complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Conclusions: This case series suggests that some cases of pathological hypersomnolence might be associated with traumatic disorders. Hypersomnolence may represent a response to traumatic memories, particularly in patients with complex traumatic histories, such as childhood abuse. The small sample size (n=17) limits the generalizability of the findings. This observation should be interpreted with caution, requires confirmation in a larger sample, but opens a potentially relevant line of research in the understanding of hypersomnias.