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Parkinson’s disease symptoms mainly relate to movement because it involves a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain responsible for producing a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine acts as a messenger between the parts of the brain and nervous system that help control and coordinate body movements. If these nerve cells die or become damaged, the amount of dopamine in the brain is reduced. Spotting the early signs of the disease is crucial and if suffering with these sleep disorder, it could mean you may be at risk.
One study has revealed a certain disorder in the brain is linked to the area where the dopamine-producing nerve cells are found, suggesting the disorder is an early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.
Published in The Lancet, the study found that patients suffering from a sleep disorder known as rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) have a risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
The study also found a possibility of dementia in the future, because of a lack of dopamine in the brain.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, a brain region that helps control movement, said ophthalmologist Dr Alessandro Arrigo.
He continued: “This leads to movement deficits and tremors, which are the most common symptoms of this disease.
“But other symptoms, unrelated to motor and movement coordination, also may help signal the development of the disease.
“Just as the eye is a window into the body, the visual system is a window into brain disorders.”
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Parkinson’s disease occurs precisely because the group of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine stop working.
According to the Mayo Clinic: “Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder is a sleep disorder in which you physically act out vivid, often unpleasant dreams with vocal sounds and sudden, often violent arm and leg movements during REM sleep — sometimes called dream-enacting behaviour.”
“These patients have an inflammation of the brain in the area where the dopamine-producing nerve cells are found,” says one of the researchers behind the study, Morten Gersel Stokholm from Aarhus University and the PET Centre at Aarhus University Hospital.
“With this study, we have gained new knowledge about the disease processes in the brain in the early initial stages of the disease development.
“The idea is for this knowledge to be used to determine which patients with the sleep disorder will later develop Parkinson’s disease.
“At the same time, this is also knowledge that can help to develop drugs which can stop or slow the development of the diseases,” explained Morten Gersel Stokholm about the sleep disorder which most often affects persons aged 50-70, and more frequently men than women.
According to Michael J fox Foundation, age is the greatest risk factor for Parkinson’s disease: “Scientists believe our cells may be more susceptible to damage as they age.
“In addition, over time the expression of our genes may change, which could set off a chain of cellular events that leads to Parkinson’s disease.”
“See your GP if you’re concerned you may have symptoms of Parkinson’s disease,” advises the NHS.
It is important to alert your GP sooner rather than later as evidence shows you can slow down its progression by making healthy lifestyle choices.
Exercise is one of the most effective measures you can take to delay its progression.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation (PF), exercise can assist in maintaining balance, mobility and daily living activities, along with a potential “neuroprotective” effect.
In fact, there is a growing consensus among researchers about the short and long-term benefits of exercise for people with Parkinson’s.
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