Researchers at Mayo Clinic have found that almost two-thirds of patients with REM sleep behavior disorder ( RBD ) develop degenerative brain diseases by approximately 11 years after diagnosis of RBD.

" This study found REM sleep behavior disorder most frequently led to neurodegenerative diseases called the synucleinopathies: Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies," says Maja Tippmann-Peikert, at Mayo Clinic and the study's lead researcher.

REM sleep behavior disorder is a sleep disorder in which patients act out their dreams, which are often unpleasant and violent.
This acting out results from a loss of normal muscle paralysis in REM ( rapid eye movement ) sleep, the dream stage, which ordinarily prevents enacting one's dreams.

" The danger with RBD is that patients can hurt themselves or their spouses during the acting out behaviors -- bruises, lacerations, bone fractures and even subdural hematomas ( brain hemorrhages ) have been reported," says Tippmann-Peikert.

In this study, the investigators mailed questionnaires to 39 patients diagnosed with RBD at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center between 1988 and 1995. If a patient had died, the questionnaire was mailed to surviving relatives.

Of the 23 patients who agreed to participate, five had developed dementia or Parkinson's disease, and 10 reported neurological symptoms highly suggestive of dementia or Parkinson's disease.
The patients in this study were an average of 11.2 years beyond their diagnoses of REM sleep behavior disorder.

This study is the second long-term follow-up study following patients with idiopathic, or inexplicable, RBD, confirming previous findings by Carlos Schenck, and Mark Mahowald, of Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Other studies are under way to determine whether RBD is a state of pre-Parkinson's, pre-dementia or pre-multiple system atrophy ( another type of synucleinopathy ).

Researchers have reported that as the brain-degenerating disease progresses, REM sleep behavior disorder may decrease in frequency and intensity or resolve completely, says Tippmann-Peikert.

There is no intervention to prevent those with REM sleep behavior disorder from progressing to Parkinson's disease, dementia or multiple system atrophy, says Tippmann-Peikert, as the origin of RBD is not clear enough to develop an appropriate therapy. Even though no preventive treatment exists yet, she says RBD patients can:

Use safety precautions in their bedrooms to prevent injury ( e.g., move nightstands away from the bed, use extra pillows or pillows on the floor next to the bed for extra padding, remove dangerous objects such as weapons from the bedroom, lock all windows and doors to walk-out decks )

See a sleep specialist and, if prescribed, take medications to suppress RBD symptoms

Become familiar with the signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease, dementia or multiple system atrophy

Follow up regularly with a sleep specialist to monitor for signs of brain-degenerating illnesses, and consider a referral to a neurologist if any signs appear

Tippmann-Peikert also stresses the importance of diagnosing RBD as early as possible.

" Awareness of excessive nocturnal behaviors and dream enactment and bringing it to the attention of a physician could lead to an early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, dementia or multiple system atrophy," she says. " Hopefully, early identification of patients with idiopathic RBD will lead to close monitoring and early treatment of any developing neurological disorders."

Source: Mayo Clinic, 2006


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