Often nightmares? Then you might get Parkinson’s – Wel.nl

Having nightmares may be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease, a new study reveals. A team from the University of Birmingham says older men who have frequent nightmares are more than three times more likely to develop the disease later on.

Apparently there is something happening in the brains of patients – before the disease manifests itself further – that promotes bad dreams.

The results suggest that older adults with Parkinson’s are likely to have nightmares for a few years before developing symptoms of tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement. The study also shows that dreams can reveal important information about brain structure and function

People – especially older men – who have nightmares for no good reason may be diagnosed earlier. This allows treatment of the disease to start earlier. This treatment also tries to relieve symptoms. There is no medicine (yet).