Slurred Speech After an Argument: What's Sleep Got to Do With It?

A 28-year-old graduate student complains of the recent onset of episodes of sudden jaw weakness following heightened emotions such as laughter or anger. She is very distressed, and has been avoiding emotionally laden situations to prevent the occurrence of these spells. Her advisor recently revealed that colleagues had complained that she appeared “drunk,” as she had slurred speech in class following an argument.