Juvenile Parkinson’s disease with REM sleep behavior disorder, sleepiness, and daytime REM onset

Abstract

We describe an unmedicated patient with juvenile PD with difficulties maintaining wakefulness and the atonia of REM sleep. Laboratory testing showed enhanced muscle activity in REM sleep consistent with a history of dream enactment behavior (i.e., REM sleep behavior disorder) and daytime sleepiness, and REM-sleep onsets on multiple sleep latency testing. The results emphasize the potential role of dopamine and basal ganglia circuits in the modulation of activated behavioral states (e.g., wakefulness and REM sleep).