Re: Violent sleep disorder linked to a form of dementia

May 17, 2007

this information was shared at teh lbd/pdd conference in wash dc as well. and

my dad have dreams and sleep when he punched and flailed , but not everynite,

but enough to say that was happening, funny how they are now finding more and

more early signs that many of us can relate too, hugs, sharon

---- wrote:

Violent sleep disorder linked to a form of dementia

May 17, 2007

Mayo Clinic researchers and a group of international collaborators

have discovered a correlation between an extreme form of sleep

disorder and eventual onset of parkinsonism or dementia. The findings

appear in the current issue of the journal Brain.

Clinical observations and pathology studies, as well as research in

animal models, led to the findings that patients with the violent

rapid eye movement sleep (REM) behavior disorder (RBD) have a high

probability of later developing Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's

disease or multiple system atrophy (a Parkinson's-like disorder),

because all of these conditions appear to stem from a similar

neurodegenerative origin.

" Our data suggest that many patients with idiopathic (not associated

with any other neurologic symptoms) RBD may be exhibiting early signs

of an evolving neurodegenerative disease, which in most cases appear

to be caused by some mishap of the synuclein protein, " says Bradley

Boeve, M.D., Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of the study.

Synuclein proteins are associated with synapses in the brain, and

clumps of abnormal alpha-synuclein protein are present in some forms

of dementia. " The problem does not seem to be present in the

synuclein gene itself, but it's something that happens to the protein

following gene expression. Just what happens to it to cause the

conditions isn't clear. "

--

I am daugher of Leonard, diagnosed May 2004, probably had lbd since 1993,.Dad

had a serious fall in 7/05 causing him to hav hip surgery .After that he

developed aspiration pneumonia 7/05 with pulmonary embolyis, which he almost

died from. He had a 2nd bout of aspiration pneumonia and uti 8/05. He died when

his blood pressure fluctuations started dropping without coming back up on

9/25/05,

may he rest in peace with his mom and dad,

a smile a day keeps the meanies away

Recommended Posts