Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, often begins with subtle symptoms. One of the most recognised signs is a slight tremor, usually starting in the hands or fingers.
However, according to researchers from the University of Birmingham, one of the earliest indicators of Parkinson’s could be frequent bad dreams or nightmares. The study found that older men who regularly experience disturbing dreams are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s later in life.
It suggests that those who will develop Parkinson’s may start having nightmares a few years before the onset of more noticeable symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slow movements. The researchers advise anyone noticing changes in their dream patterns in later life to seek medical advice.
“While we need to carry out further research in this area, identifying the significance of bad dreams and nightmares could indicate that individuals who experience changes to their dreams in older age – without any obvious trigger – should seek medical advice,” said Dr Abidemi Otaiku, the lead author of the study.
This approach to using nightmares as an indicator for Parkinson’s risk is new, although it has been previously observed that people with Parkinson’s tend to have bad dreams more frequently.
Early detection is key, but the study emphasises that there are ‘very few’ risk indicators for Parkinson’s disease, many of which are not specific to the condition or necessitate expensive hospital tests. The researchers used data from a large cohort study in the US spanning 12 years, involving 3,818 older men living independently, reports Surrey Live.
At the beginning of the study, the male participants completed a series of questionnaires, including one about their sleep quality. Those who reported having nightmares at least once a week were then monitored until the end of the study to see if they were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
During the follow-up period, 91 cases of Parkinson’s were diagnosed. The findings showed that those who frequently had nightmares were twice as likely to develop the disease compared to those who did not.
Most of the diagnoses occurred within the first five years of the study. Participants who frequently experienced nightmares during this time were over three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s.
The researchers, whose study was published in eClinicalMedicine, believe our dreams can offer vital insights into our brain structure and function and could be a significant focus for neuroscience research. The team plans to use electroencephalography (EEG) to explore the biological reasons behind changes in dreams.
The researchers plan to validate these findings in larger and more diverse groups, and investigate possible connections between dreams and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Parkinson’s symptoms
According to the NHS, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- tremor – shaking, which usually begins in the hand or arm and is more likely to occur when the limb is relaxed and resting
- slowness of movement (bradykinesia) – physical movements are much slower than normal, which can make everyday tasks difficult and result in a distinctive slow, shuffling walk with very small steps
- muscle stiffness (rigidity) – stiffness and tension in the muscles, which can make it difficult to move around and make facial expressions, and can result in painful muscle cramps(dystonia)
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.