According to a publication from McGill University and obtained via EurekAlert, a massive study of 1,280 individuals confirmed a strong, long-suspected connection between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson’s disease (PD).
The study found that individuals who struggle with the sleep disorder had a significantly elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease years later.
About REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
REM sleep behavior disorder causes the loss of the partial paralysis that accompanies sleep. Subsequently, individuals with the disorder will begin to physically act out their dream. They might verbalize, punch, kick, or even leave bed without waking.
The onset of the disorder can be either slow or sudden, and it often grows worse over time. It has been linked with Parkinson’s and associated conditions, like Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy, for some time. However, not all individuals with REM sleep behavior disorder go on to develop PD. For years, researchers sought for a better method of determining who of those with the condition were the most at risk of developing Parkinson’s.
How to Test for Parkinson’s in 5 Minutes
The groundbreaking study was headed by Dr. Ron Postuma of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and the Montreal General Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre.
It followed 1,280 patients with REM sleep behavior disorder. The subjects were regularly evaluated by tests of their motor, cognitive, and sensory abilities over a period of many years. The tests could be easily administered in five minutes in an office location.
Dr. Postuma and his colleagues found that an astonishing 73.5% of the subjects had developed Parkinson’s within 12 years of beginning evaluation.
Individuals who had exhibited difficulties with motor function in their evaluations were found to be three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those who did not have difficulties. This seemed to be the most important conclusion of the research – scientists had already strongly linked REM sleep behavior disorder and PD for some time. The groundbreaking aspect of this research was the revelation that out of those sleep-affected individuals, it might be possible to more accurately predict who of them will develop Parkinson’s simply by monitoring their motor function early and often.
In fact, this simple examination method proved to be as effective in predicting future Parkinson’s in REM sleep behavior disorder patients as expensive, intensive, laboratory-based tests. This could mean a big step towards catching Parkinson’s in the population early – and maybe one day preventing it.
Click here to learn about a different sleep disorder: sleep paralysis.
What do you make of this novel announcement? Do you think there are other low-cost ways we could replicate the results of expensive tests? Share your thoughts with Patient Worthy!