Study of isolated REM sleep without atomy (IRSWA) as an early sign of Parkinson's disease

The research project is an international collaboration between medical centers in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany (UZA, st. Dimpna in Geel, Kempenhaege, Philipps University Marburg and University of Hannover, respectively)

Dr. Femke Dijkstra (UZA) is a movement disorder neurologist and coordinating researcher on this project. Previous research has shown that Parkinson's and other neurological disorders cause sleep problems and REM sleep disturbances, sometimes as early as ten years before the Parkinson's diagnosis.

During her doctoral research, among other things, she looked at whether increased muscle activity during Rem sleep could be detected - as a precursor to Parkinson's disease. Now there is a follow-up study to develop biomarkers to diagnose in patients at a much earlier stage. There are 5 different patient groups (30 patients each): people with REM sleep behavior disorder, with Parkinson's, with only increased muscle stretching during Rem sleep, with antidepressants and a negative control group.