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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Visual hallucinations and symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder in Parkinsonian tauopathies
Nico J Diederich1, Sue Leurgans, Wenqing Fan
1Department of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg-City, Luxembourg. diederdn@pt.lu
Background:
In Parkinsonism, visual hallucinations (VH) and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have been thought to indicate underlying synucleinopathy.
Objectives:
We tested the validity of this hypothesis by searching for VH and RBD symptoms in Parkinsonism related to tauopathies.
Methods:
Patients with progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal degeneration were identified via a clinical data bank.
Results:
Of 53 patients who expressed study interest by telephone, 44 returned questionnaires. VH occurred in 16% of patients. Similarly, acting out of dreams occurred in 16% of patients. Neither VH nor RBD symptoms were linked to disease duration or dopaminergic medication and there was no mutual association.
Conclusion:
VH and RBD symptoms also occur in Parkinsonism related to tauopathies, thus refuting the initial hypothesis.
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