Executive dysfunction and memory impairment in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder
J Massicotte-Marquez1, A Décary, J-F Gagnon
1Centre d'Etude du Sommeil et des Rythmes Biologiques, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, 5400 Boul. Gouin Ouest Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Neurology
|January 25, 2008
Summary
Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is linked to cognitive decline and slower brainwave activity during wakefulness. These findings suggest iRBD may precede neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurology
Background:
- Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) may represent an early stage of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
- Emerging evidence indicates a correlation between cognitive impairment and slowed waking electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in individuals with iRBD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare cognitive function and quantitative waking EEG measures in patients diagnosed with iRBD.
- To explore the relationship between cognitive performance and EEG characteristics in iRBD.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 14 patients with iRBD and 14 age- and education-matched healthy controls were recruited.
- Participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and resting-state waking EEG recordings.
Main Results:
- Patients with iRBD demonstrated significantly lower performance in tests of attention, executive functions, and verbal memory compared to controls.
- Waking EEG analysis revealed generalized slowing (increased delta and theta power) in patients with iRBD relative to the control group.
- No significant correlation was identified between cognitive test scores and quantitative EEG parameters within the iRBD group.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a co-occurrence of an impaired cognitive profile and generalized waking EEG slowing in individuals with iRBD.
- These findings align with observations in the early stages of synucleinopathies, reinforcing the potential of iRBD as a prodromal marker for these neurodegenerative disorders.
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