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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

Published on: September 22, 2020

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).

Michele T Hu¹

¹Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, University of Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.

Neurobiology of Disease

|June 30, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a key indicator of future neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Isolated RBD significantly predicts synucleinopathy development, offering a crucial window for early detection.

Keywords:

Aging Dementia with Lewy bodies Neurodegeneration Parkinson's Parkinsonism Prodromal REM sleep behavior disorder Sleep

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Sleep Medicine
Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background:

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is increasingly recognized as a significant prodromal marker for neurodegenerative disorders.
RBD is prevalent in 25-58% of Parkinson's disease patients and up to 90% of those with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) or Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).
In many cases, RBD precedes the onset of motor symptoms, highlighting its potential as an early diagnostic indicator.

Purpose of the Study:

To underscore the significance of RBD as a prodromal marker for synucleinopathies.
To review the diagnostic and prognostic value of isolated RBD (iRBD) in predicting neurodegenerative conditions.
To emphasize the utility of RBD in understanding and potentially intervening in the early stages of neurodegeneration.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature and cohort studies on RBD and neurodegenerative diseases.
Analysis of prevalence data of RBD in patients with Parkinson's disease, DLB, and MSA.
Examination of long-term follow-up data for individuals with isolated RBD.

Main Results:

Isolated RBD is a highly specific predictor of future alpha-synuclein-related neurodegenerative disorders, with over 80% of individuals developing synucleinopathy.
A recent large-scale study of 1280 polysomnographically-diagnosed RBD subjects reported an annual conversion rate of 6.3% from iRBD to overt neurodegenerative syndromes.
RBD is a common condition and represents a substantial portion of sporadic neurodegenerative diseases.

Conclusions:

RBD is a common and specific biomarker for prodromal Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies.
Isolated RBD offers a unique and valuable window for studying and potentially treating neurodegeneration in its earliest stages.
Further research and clinical attention to RBD are warranted for early diagnosis and intervention strategies in neurodegenerative diseases.