Fitful dreaming could point to Parkinson’s

Troubles with normal dreaming could be an early warning sign for Parkinson’s disease, researchers said.

Dr John Peever of the University of Toronto, Canada, has examined dreaming dysfunctions, such as REM sleep behaviour disorder, in which sleepers act out their dreams, sometimes with violent movements. He found a link between the dreaming condition and the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

More than 80 per cent of people who suffer from REM sleep disorder eventually develop conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, Dr Peever said.