Sleep Medicine
Volume 12, Supplement 2 , Pages S54-S58, December 2011

REM behaviour disorder and neurodegenerative diseases

Clinica Neurologica, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Ugo Foscolo 7, 40123 Bologna, Italy

Received 29 July 2011; received in revised form 11 October 2011; accepted 12 October 2011.

Abstract 

Rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is an REM sleep parasomnia characterized by enactment of dream content during REM sleep associated with loss of muscle atonia. RBD can be either idiopathic or secondary to drugs or other diseases. The best recognized association is with neurodegenerative diseases, namely alpha-synucleinopathies. RBD may represent the first feature of neurodegeneration and can be considered an early marker of these disorders. This review describes the main clinical, pathogenetic, and therapeutic features of RBD, pointing to its association with neurodegenerative diseases and emphasizing the clinical and prognostic implications.

Keywords: REM behaviour disorder, REM sleep, Parasomnias, Neurodegenerative, Parkinson, Parkinsonism, Dementia

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PII: S1389-9457(11)00323-6

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2011.10.012

Sleep Medicine
Volume 12, Supplement 2 , Pages S54-S58, December 2011

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