Giant aneurysm causing parkinsonism and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

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Giant aneurysm causing parkinsonism and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

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  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 125
  • 10.1093/brain/awp320
Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in patients with narcolepsy is associated with hypocretin-1 deficiency
  • Feb 1, 2010
  • Brain
  • S Knudsen + 2 more

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is characterized by dream-enacting behaviour and impaired motor inhibition during rapid eye movement sleep. Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is commonly associated with neurodegenerative disorders, but also reported in narcolepsy with cataplexy. Most narcolepsy with cataplexy patients lack the sleep-wake, and rapid eye movement sleep, motor-regulating hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and hypocretin deficiency are rare in narcolepsy without cataplexy. We hypothesized that rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder coexists with cataplexy in narcolepsy due to hypocretin deficiency. In our study, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder was diagnosed by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (2nd edition) criteria in 63 narcolepsy patients with or without cataplexy. Main outcome measures were: rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder symptoms; short and long muscle activations per hour rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep; and periodic and non-periodic limb movements per hour rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep. Outcome variables were analysed in relation to cataplexy and hypocretin deficiency with uni- and multivariate logistic/linear regression models, controlling for possible rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder biasing factors (age, gender, disease duration, previous anti-cataplexy medication). Only hypocretin deficiency independently predicted rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder symptoms (relative risk = 3.69, P = 0.03), long muscle activations per hour rapid eye movement sleep (ln-coefficient = 0.81, P < 0.01), and short muscle activations per hour rapid eye movement sleep (ln-coefficient = 1.01, P < 0.01). Likewise, periodic limb movements per hour rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep were only associated with hypocretin deficiency (P < 0.01). A significant association between hypocretin deficiency and cataplexy was confirmed (P < 0.01). In a sub-analysis, hypocretin deficiency suggested the association of periodic limb movements and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder outcomes (symptoms, non-periodic short and long muscle activity) in rapid eye movement sleep. Our results support the hypothesis that hypocretin deficiency is independently associated with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in narcolepsy. Thus, hypocretin deficiency is linked to the two major disturbances of rapid eye movement sleep motor regulation in narcolepsy: rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and cataplexy. Hypocretin deficiency is also significantly associated with periodic limb movements in rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep, and provides a possible pathophysiological link between rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and periodic limb movements in narcolepsy. The study supports the hypothesis that an impaired hypocretin system causes a general instability of motor regulation during wakefulness, rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep in human narcolepsy.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 248
  • 10.1093/brain/awp244
Markers of neurodegeneration in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson's disease
  • Oct 20, 2009
  • Brain
  • R B Postuma + 3 more

Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is an important risk factor in the development of Parkinson's disease. Numerous potential predictive markers of Parkinson's disease may present before motor symptoms emerge, but testing of these markers in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder has been performed only in small studies. There has been no comparison of markers between patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson's disease, and between men and women. We evaluated an array of potential Parkinson's disease predictive markers in 159 patients; including 68 with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, 36 controls, 34 Parkinson's patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and 21 Parkinson's patients without rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Compared with controls, patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder demonstrated substantial olfactory loss (P < 0.001). Olfaction was more impaired in Parkinson's disease than idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and did not differ between Parkinson's patients with, or without, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Numerous measures of motor function including the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale alternate tap, Purdue Peg Board and Timed 'Up and Go' were impaired in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder compared with controls (P < 0.01). All of these motor measures were worse with Parkinson's disease than with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, regardless of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder status. Autonomic symptoms and systolic blood pressure drop were impaired in patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder compared with controls (P = 0.003). Orthostatic abnormalities in Parkinson's disease were found in the group with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (P < 0.001). However, Parkinson's patients without rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder were not different than controls and had less impairment than those with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (P = 0.004) and Parkinson's patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (P < 0.001). Colour vision was impaired in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder compared with controls (P < 0.001). However, only Parkinson's patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder had abnormalities significantly different than controls (P < 0.001), and there were significant differences between Parkinson's patients with or without rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (P < 0.04). Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder patients had slightly increased harm avoidance scores on personality testing (P = 0.04). Other than slightly better performances among women in the Purdue Peg Board, there was no difference in any measure between men and women, suggesting similar pathogenic processes underlying rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder demonstrate abnormalities in numerous potential markers of neurodegenerative disease--these markers are heterogeneous, generally correlate with each other and occur equally in men and women. Although these abnormalities are usually intermediate between control values and Parkinson's patients, autonomic dysfunction and colour vision appear to be more linked to rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder status than Parkinson's disease, suggesting a unique pathophysiology of these abnormalities.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 25
  • 10.1111/jsr.12544
Is there a common motor dysregulation in sleepwalking and REM sleep behaviour disorder?
  • May 17, 2017
  • Journal of Sleep Research
  • Mehdi Haridi + 5 more

This study sought to determine if there is any overlap between the two major non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement parasomnias, i.e. sleepwalking/sleep terrors and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. We assessed adult patients with sleepwalking/sleep terrors using rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder screening questionnaires and determined if they had enhanced muscle tone during rapid eye movement sleep. Conversely, we assessed rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder patients using the Paris Arousal Disorders Severity Scale and determined if they had more N3 awakenings. The 251 participants included 64 patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (29 with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and 35 with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder associated with Parkinson's disease), 62 patients with sleepwalking/sleep terrors, 66 old healthy controls (age-matched with the rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder group) and 59 young healthy controls (age-matched with the sleepwalking/sleep terrors group). They completed the rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder screening questionnaire, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder single question and Paris Arousal Disorders Severity Scale. In addition, all the participants underwent a video-polysomnography. The sleepwalking/sleep terrors patients scored positive on rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder scales and had a higher percentage of 'any' phasic rapid eye movement sleep without atonia when compared with controls; however, these patients did not have higher tonic rapid eye movement sleep without atonia or complex behaviours during rapid eye movement sleep. Patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder had moderately elevated scores on the Paris Arousal Disorders Severity Scale but did not exhibit more N3 arousals (suggestive of non-rapid eye movement parasomnia) than the control group. These results indicate that dream-enacting behaviours (assessed by rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder screening questionnaires) are commonly reported by sleepwalking/sleep terrors patients, thus decreasing the questionnaire's specificity. Furthermore, sleepwalking/sleep terrors patients have excessive twitching during rapid eye movement sleep, which may result either from a higher dreaming activity in rapid eye movement sleep or from a more generalised non-rapid eye movement/rapid eye movement motor dyscontrol during sleep.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 3
  • 10.1080/00207454.2019.1667796
Risk for later rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in Parkinson’s disease: a 6-year prospective study
  • Oct 2, 2019
  • International Journal of Neuroscience
  • Hiroshi Kataoka + 1 more

Background: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is recognized worldwide as an early indicator of Parkinson’s disease, and it occurs in the later stages of the disease. It is known that idiopathic RBD occurs more frequently in males than in females, but a reliable marker for predicting the development of this disorder after the onset of the motor disability symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is yet to be identified. Our objective was to determine whether male sex is a reliable indicator of later development of RBD by studying patients for 6 years.Methods: We registered 89 patients with Parkinson’s disease into our study from initially screened 100 consecutive patients by diary questionnaires for 4 weeks. A same sole interviewer interviewed once every 1 to 3 months for 6 years. The final follow-up of 49 patients was included in data analysis.Results: Men exhibited a higher prevalence (57%) among patients with positive rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. Male sex and enacting behavior during sleep was significantly different between patients with and without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder after 6 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male sex [odds ratio (OR) = 5.301, p = .014, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.396–20.13] and enacting behavior during sleep (OR = 0.138, p = .032, 95% CI = 0.023–0.843) were related to RBD after 6 years.Conclusion: Patients with Parkinson’s disease exhibit rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder after the onset of motor symptoms.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 14
  • 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.06.055
Pramipexole in the treatment of REM sleep behaviour disorder: A critical review
  • Jun 30, 2016
  • Psychiatry research
  • Shian Ming Tan + 1 more

Pramipexole in the treatment of REM sleep behaviour disorder: A critical review

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 61
  • 10.1093/brain/awv042
Ictal SPECT in patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.
  • Mar 1, 2015
  • Brain
  • Geert Mayer + 4 more

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is a rapid eye movement parasomnia clinically characterized by acting out dreams due to disinhibition of muscle tone in rapid eye movement sleep. Up to 80-90% of the patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder develop neurodegenerative disorders within 10-15 years after symptom onset. The disorder is reported in 45-60% of all narcoleptic patients. Whether rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is also a predictor for neurodegeneration in narcolepsy is not known. Although the pathophysiology causing the disinhibition of muscle tone in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder has been studied extensively in animals, little is known about the mechanisms in humans. Most of the human data are from imaging or post-mortem studies. Recent studies show altered functional connectivity between substantia nigra and striatum in patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. We were interested to study which regions are activated in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder during actual episodes by performing ictal single photon emission tomography. We studied one patient with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, one with Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, and two patients with narcolepsy and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. All patients underwent extended video polysomnography. The tracer was injected after at least 10 s of consecutive rapid eye movement sleep and 10 s of disinhibited muscle tone accompanied by movements registered by an experienced sleep technician. Ictal single photon emission tomography displayed the same activation in the bilateral premotor areas, the interhemispheric cleft, the periaqueductal area, the dorsal and ventral pons and the anterior lobe of the cerebellum in all patients. Our study shows that in patients with Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder-in contrast to wakefulness-the neural activity generating movement during episodes of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder bypasses the basal ganglia, a mechanism that is shared by patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and narcolepsy patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 63
  • 10.1002/mds.27003
Degeneration of rapid eye movement sleep circuitry underlies rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.
  • Apr 10, 2017
  • Movement Disorders
  • Dillon Mckenna + 1 more

During healthy rapid eye movement sleep, skeletal muscles are actively forced into a state of motor paralysis. However, in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder-a relatively common neurological disorder-this natural process is lost. A lack of motor paralysis (atonia) in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder allows individuals to actively move, which at times can be excessive and violent. At first glance this may sound harmless, but it is not because rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder patients frequently injure themselves or the person they sleep with. It is hypothesized that the degeneration or dysfunction of the brain stem circuits that control rapid eye movement sleep paralysis is an underlying cause of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. The link between brain stem degeneration and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder stems from the fact that rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder precedes, in the majority (∼80%) of cases, the development of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy, which are known to initially cause degeneration in the caudal brain stem structures where rapid eye movement sleep circuits are located. Furthermore, basic science and clinical evidence demonstrate that lesions within the rapid eye movement sleep circuits can induce rapid eye movement sleep-specific motor deficits that are virtually identical to those observed in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. This review examines the evidence that rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is caused by synucleinopathic neurodegeneration of the core brain stem circuits that control healthy rapid eye movement sleep and concludes that rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is not a separate clinical entity from synucleinopathies but, rather, it is the earliest symptom of these disorders. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 2
  • 10.1111/j.1479-8425.2012.00556.x
Characteristics of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in narcolepsy
  • Feb 26, 2013
  • Sleep and Biological Rhythms
  • Poul Jennum + 2 more

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by dreamenacting behavior and impaired motor inhibition during REM sleep (REM sleep without atonia, RSWA). RBD is commonly associated with Parkinsonian disorders, but is also reported in narcolepsy. Most patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy lack the hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, RBD, RSWA, and hypocretin deficiency are rare in narcolepsy without cataplexy. Phasic motor activity in REM and non-REM (NREM) and dreamenacting behavior (RBD) coexist with cataplexy in narcolepsy because of hypocretin deficiency. Thus, hypocretin deficiency is linked to the two major disturbances of REM sleep motor regulation in narcolepsy: RBD and cataplexy. Moreover, it is likely that hypocretin deficiency independently predicts periodic limb movements in REM and NREM sleep, probably via involvement of the dopaminergic system. This supports the hypothesis that an impaired hypocretin system causes general instability of motor regulation during wakefulness, REM and NREM sleep in human narcolepsy. We propose that hypocretin neurons are centrally involved in motor tone control during wakefulness and sleep in humans and that hypocretin deficiency causes a functional defect in the motor control involved in the development of cataplexy during wakefulness and RBD/RSWA/ phasic motor activity during REM sleep.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 14
  • 10.1093/braincomms/fcad021
Brain glucose metabolism and nigrostriatal degeneration in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.
  • Dec 29, 2022
  • Brain Communications
  • Patricia Diaz-Galvan + 15 more

Alterations of cerebral glucose metabolism can be detected in patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, a prodromal feature of neurodegenerative diseases with α-synuclein pathology. However, metabolic characteristics that determine clinical progression in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and their association with other biomarkers need to be elucidated. We investigated the pattern of cerebral glucose metabolism on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET in patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, differentiating between those who clinically progressed and those who remained stable over time. Second, we studied the association between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET and lower dopamine transporter availability in the putamen, another hallmark of synucleinopathies. Patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Center for Sleep Medicine (n = 22) and age-and sex-matched clinically unimpaired controls (clinically unimpaired; n = 44) from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging were included. All participants underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET and dopamine transporter imaging with iodine 123-radiolabeled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane on single-photon emission computerized tomography. A subset of patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder with follow-up evaluations (n = 17) was classified as isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder progressors (n = 7) if they developed mild cognitive impairment or Parkinson's disease; or isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder stables (n = 10) if they remained with a diagnosis of isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder with no cognitive impairment. Glucose metabolic abnormalities in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder were determined by comparing atlas-based regional 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET uptake between isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and clinically unimpaired. Associations between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET and dopamine transporter availability in the putamen were analyzed with Pearson's correlation within the nigrostriatal pathway structures and with voxel-based analysis in the cortex. Patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder had lower glucose metabolism in the substantia nigra, retrosplenial cortex, angular cortex, and thalamus, and higher metabolism in the amygdala and entorhinal cortex compared with clinically unimpaired. Patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder who clinically progressed over time were characterized by higher glucose metabolism in the amygdala and entorhinal cortex, and lower glucose metabolism in the cerebellum compared with clinically unimpaired. Lower dopamine transporter availability in the putamen was associated with higher glucose metabolism in the pallidum within the nigrostriatal pathway; and with higher 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the amygdala, insula, and temporal pole on a voxel-based analysis, although these associations did not survive after correcting for multiple comparisons. Our findings suggest that cerebral glucose metabolism in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is characterized by hypometabolism in regions frequently affected during the prodromal stage of synucleinopathies, potentially reflecting synaptic dysfunction. Hypermetabolism is also seen in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, suggesting that synaptic metabolic disruptions may be leading to a lack of inhibition, compensatory mechanisms, or microglial activation, especially in regions associated with nigrostriatal degeneration.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 16
  • 10.1080/09540260500104540
REM sleep behaviour disorder: Clinical profiles and pathophysiology
  • Aug 1, 2005
  • International Review of Psychiatry
  • Thomas J Paparrigopoulos

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by the intermittent loss of electromyographic atonia normally present during REM sleep and the emergence of purposeful complex motor activity associated with vivid dreams. Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder usually affects older males and can be either idiopathic or symptomatic of various underlying disorders, in particular neurodegenerative diseases; in the latter case, RBD may be a prodromal symptom of the neurological disease. Several brainstem regions have been implicated in RBD pathophysiology, although the exact mechanism of the disorder in humans remains to be clarified. On clinical grounds, differentiation of RBD should be made from several non-REM parasomnias and other aberrant behaviours occurring during sleep. Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder can be diagnosed on the basis of a systematic medical, neurological and psychiatric evaluation of the patient, assisted by a standard polysomnographic recording that includes continuous overnight videotaping; a brain imaging study is mandatory when an underlying brain disease is being suspected. Clonazepam at bedtime is the treatment of choice for RBD; alternatively, melatonin or pramipexole can be administered when clonazepam is contraindicated.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 79
  • 10.5664/jcsm.5582
The Prevalence and Characteristics of REM Sleep without Atonia (RSWA) in Patients Taking Antidepressants.
  • Mar 15, 2016
  • Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
  • Kenneth Lee + 3 more

The association of REM sleep without atonia (RSWA) as well as REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) with the intake of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) is well established. Our study objective was to determine the prevalence of RSWA and RBD among a group of sleep center patients taking SSRI and SNRI. A retrospective chart review was done at our tertiary sleep center, and 10,746 consecutive records from October 1, 2007, through October 31, 2013, were searched for SSRI and SNRI names using the Sleep Cataloguer Software. The search resulted in 1,444 records, which were then reviewed for keywords of RSWA and RBD. The AASM scoring criteria were used to determine RSWA. Reports of 41 patients with known narcolepsy or α-synucleinopathies were excluded. The remaining records were mined for age, sex, presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), type of antidepressant (SSRI or SNRI), and diagnosis for which antidepressant was prescribed. We used logistic regression analysis to adjust for age, OSA, and sex. Of the 1,444 participants on antidepressants, 176 (12.2%) had RSWA (all confirmed by the investigators) compared to 226 of the entire sleep lab population of 10,746 (2.1%), risk ratio (95% CI) 9.978 (8.149, 12.22). Seven of the 176 patients on antidepressants had RBD (0.48%) compared to 108 of 10,746 (1%), p = 0.005. SSRI and SNRI are associated with a higher prevalence of RSWA but not of RBD. This is independent of medication type.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 89
  • 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2011.01203.x
Neuropathological analysis of brainstem cholinergic and catecholaminergic nuclei in relation to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder
  • Mar 5, 2012
  • Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology
  • B N Dugger + 6 more

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is characterized by loss of muscle atonia during rapid eye movement sleep and is associated with dream enactment behaviour. RBD is often associated with α-synuclein pathology, and we examined if there is a relationship of RBD with cholinergic neuronal loss in the pedunculopontine/laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (PPN/LDT), compared to catecholaminergic neurones in a neighbouring nucleus, the locus coeruleus (LC). This retrospective study utilized human brain banked tissues of 11 Lewy body disease (LBD) cases with RBD, 10 LBD without RBD, 19 Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 10 neurologically normal controls. Tissues were stained with choline acetyl transferase immunohistochemistry to label neurones of PPN/LDT and tyrosine hydroxylase for the LC. The burden of tau and α-synuclein pathology was measured in the same regions with immunohistochemistry. Both the LC and PPN/LDT were vulnerable to α-synuclein pathology in LBD and tau pathology in AD, but significant neuronal loss was only detected in these nuclei in LBD. Greater cholinergic depletion was found in both LBD groups, regardless of RBD status, when compared with normals and AD. There were no differences in either degree of neuronal loss or burden of α-synuclein pathology in LBD with and without RBD. Whether decreases in brainstem cholinergic neurones in LBD contribute to RBD is uncertain, but our findings indicate these neurones are highly vulnerable to α-synuclein pathology in LBD and tau pathology in AD. The mechanism of selective α-synuclein-mediated neuronal loss in these nuclei remains to be determined.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 112
  • 10.1093/brain/awq110
Do the eyes scan dream images during rapid eye movement sleep? Evidence from the rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder model
  • May 17, 2010
  • Brain
  • Laurène Leclair-Visonneau + 4 more

Rapid eye movements and complex visual dreams are salient features of human rapid eye movement sleep. However, it remains to be elucidated whether the eyes scan dream images, despite studies that have retrospectively compared the direction of rapid eye movements to the dream recall recorded after having awakened the sleeper. We used the model of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (when patients enact their dreams by persistence of muscle tone) to determine directly whether the eyes move in the same directions as the head and limbs. In 56 patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and 17 healthy matched controls, the eye movements were monitored by electrooculography in four (right, left, up and down) directions, calibrated with a target and synchronized with video and sleep monitoring. The rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder-associated behaviours occurred 2.1 times more frequently during rapid eye movement sleep with than without rapid eye movements, and more often during or after rapid eye movements than before. Rapid eye movement density, index and complexity were similar in patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and controls. When rapid eye movements accompanied goal-oriented motor behaviour during rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (e.g. grabbing a fictive object, hand greetings, climbing a ladder), which happened in 19 sequences, 82% were directed towards the action of the patient (same plane and direction). When restricted to the determinant rapid eye movements, the concordance increased to 90%. Rapid eye movements were absent in 38-42% of behaviours. This directional coherence between limbs, head and eye movements during rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder suggests that, when present, rapid eye movements imitate the scanning of the dream scene. Since the rapid eye movements are similar in subjects with and without rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, this concordance can be extended to normal rapid eye movement sleep.

  • Research Article
  • 10.17241/smr.2025.02831
Classifying Parkinson’s Disease With or Without Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder Using Machine Learning-Based Analysis of Single-Lead Electrocardiogram
  • Sep 30, 2025
  • Sleep Medicine Research
  • Hye Jeong Lee + 4 more

Background and Objective Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is a prodromal stage of alpha-synucleinopathy. Parkinson’s disease with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is associated with more severe symptoms and cerebral pathology compared to Parkinson’s disease without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. This study classified idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, Parkinson’s disease with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and Parkinson’s disease without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder using single-lead electrocardiogram signals from polysomnography.Methods Subjects who underwent polysomnography and dopamine transporter positron emission tomography between January 2010 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The study included 4 patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, 9 with Parkinson’s disease with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, 8 with Parkinson’s disease without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, 9 control subjects, and 15 healthy controls. Heart rate variability features were extracted from electrocardiogram signals, and machine learning models classified the groups.Results No significant differences in demographics or obstructive sleep apnea severity were found between the groups, except for healthy controls. Machine learning classifiers effectively distinguished idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, Parkinson’s disease with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and Parkinson’s disease without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder based on electrocardiogram features.Conclusions This study demonstrated the potential of single-lead electrocardiogram signals to differentiate idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, Parkinson’s disease with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and insight for future prospective studies to predict the conversion.

  • Research Article
  • 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2021.200928
Research progress in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.
  • Dec 28, 2021
  • Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences
  • Xinke Peng + 1 more

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by abnormal dream acting behavior such as vocalization and twitching related to dream content during REM sleep. The diagnosis requires polysomnography demonstrating a loss of normal skeletal muscle atonia during REM sleep. Both idiopathic RBD and secondary RBD are highly related to synucleinopathy including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. Almost all idiopathic RBD patients will develop synucleinopathy after a few years. Therefore, RBD may be an early marker in the progression of synucleinopathy.

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