According to a new study, the first signs of Parkinson’s disease could come in the form of nightmares or nightmares.
Older men who experienced frequent nightmares were twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s later, researchers at the University of Birmingham reported.
They recommend that people who experience a change in their dreams during old age talk to a medical professional.
The results of the study suggest that older adults who will later be diagnosed with Parkinson’s are likely to start experiencing nightmares and nightmares a few years before they develop symptoms characteristic of the disease, such as tremors, stiffness, and slowness of movement.
“Although we need to do more research in this area, identifying the importance of nightmares and nightmares could indicate that people who experience changes in their dreams in old age, with no obvious triggers, should look for medical advice, “said lead author Dr. Abidemi Otaiku.
Participants who had frequent nightmares were twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s later (Image: Getty Images / iStockphoto) Read more related articles Read more related articles
Researchers say the use of nightmares as a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease has not been considered before, although previous studies have shown that people with the disease experience nightmares more often.
Early diagnosis is valuable, but the study reports that there are “very few” indicators of disease risk, and many are not specific to Parkinson’s and do not require expensive hospital tests.
The team used data from a large U.S. cohort study that had data over a 12-year period on 3,818 older men living independently.
At the beginning of the study, the men completed a series of questionnaires, one of which included a question about sleep quality.
At the end of the study, participants who had nightmares were monitored at least once a week 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 results showed that participants who experienced frequent nightmares were twice as likely to develop the disease as those who did not.
Most diagnoses occurred during the first five years of the study.
Participants with frequent nightmares during this period were more than three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s.
Researchers say the study, published in eClinicalMedicine, shows that our dreams can reveal important information about the structure and function of our brain and may prove to be an important goal for neuroscience research.
The team plans to use electroencephalography (EEG) to analyze the biological reasons for changes in dreams.
They will try to replicate the findings in larger and more diverse groups, as well as explore possible links between dreams and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
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