Link between REM sleep and Parkinson's decline

Further evidence has been found that patients who have an REM sleep behaviour disorder go on to develop Parkinson disease.

Those suffering from dream nightmares in which they are pursued, particularly expressed through screaming and crying, are more at risk of developing disorders such as Parkinson's disease caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain.

Patients with the REM sleep disorder were found to have lower levels of dopamine in the brain by researchers at the Barcelona University Hospital, which progressively reduced over time.

The findings, published in the journal Lancet Neurology, follows a previous study in 2006 which suggested 45 per cent of patients with the sleep disorder go on to develop either Parkinson's or another neurodegenerative disease, linked to declining dopamine levels.

Recent research published in the journal Neurology suggested that regular doses of ibuprofen reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's disease by an estimated one-third.

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