Researchers May Have Gotten Closer To An Early Detection Of Parkinson's Disease

A study 2published in the journal npj Parkinson's Disease found a potential new way to detect the disease. It would help doctors diagnose patients with the disorder earlier, which could help potential therapies be more effective1. 

Parkinson's disease is a "brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination," according to the National Institute on Aging. Symptoms worsen over time, and people may eventually have trouble walking or talking. People with the disorder may also notice "mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory issues, and fatigue."

People with isolated REM (rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder sometimes show symptoms of Parkinson's disease or other related diseases later in their lives3. REM sleep behavior disorder causes people to experience particularly "vivid and disturbing" dreams and move around in their sleep4, potentially injuring themselves or others. 

To understand the study, you need to know about a key characteristic of Parkinson's disease. It's part of a group of disorders that are characterized by the presence of unusual clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein in cells. 

A research team led by Erdem Gültekin Tamgüney, Ph.D., from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf in Germany, found that people with REM sleep behavior disorder have a higher amount of the alpha-synuclein aggregates characteristic of Parkinson's disease in their stool. The researchers also presented a method for detecting the protein's presence, which could help doctors diagnose Parkinson's disease earlier.

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is one of the four stages of sleep—the one characterized by quick eye movements and increased brain activity and heart rate, among other things. It's also one of the stages during which we dream. REM sleep can help us consolidate memories and strengthen motor skills, though the purpose of the sleep stage isn't completely understood. 

People normally go through four to five REM cycles each night, on average, comprising about 20% of their sleep. 

People with REM sleep behavior disorder have potentially disturbing experiences characterized by vivid dreams and movements while sleeping. In REM sleep, our muscles are typically paralyzed temporarily to prevent us from physically acting out our dreams. 

Getting enough sleep, in general, is important to our overall health, and some research indicates that insufficient REM sleep may lead to migraines and decreased mental sharpness. Regardless of whether you're at risk of REM sleep behavior disorder or Parkinson's, prioritizing sleep every night will pay off for your health and longevity.

Parkinson's disease can severely affect the quality of life of people living with it. Diagnosing the disease early, before symptoms are even present, can help people with Parkinson's disease receive therapies sooner and, hopefully, slow its progression.