Sleep disorder linked to 'brain inhibition'RSS Feed

A sleep disorder characterised by violent movements, usually while dreaming, may have its roots in acquired brain injury.

Working on the premise that reduced brain inhibition could be the cause of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), scientists from the University of Toronto tested their hypothesis on mice.

The findings, which are published in the Journal of Neuroscience, revealed that mice with engineered brain inhibition similar to that present in people with RBD also behaved erratically during rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep.

Lead study author Dr John Peever explained: "We found that mice with reduced brain inhibition acted just like human RBD patients and they moved violently during REM sleep.

"This link strongly suggests that patients with RBD may also have impaired brain inhibition."

RBD has already been associated with Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, with between 60 and 80 per cent of people diagnosed with the sleep disorder going on to develop Parkinson's.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in acquired brain injury

Posted by Matthew Dixon

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