What is it that causes sleep disturbances in Parkinson’s patients and what can be done to reduce these sleep disturbances in them? This study provides answers to these questions. The findings of this study are published in the Journal of Neuron. Sleep and Parkinson's
Parkinson's disease affects 5 million people across the globe. Its typical symptoms are related to movement difficulty: tremor, rigidity, loss of balance... But patients are also faced with several non-motoric symptoms, including disturbed sleep. Nearly all patients experience some form of sleep pattern disturbance, ranging from nocturnal movements or insomnia to daytime sleepiness.
‘Nearly all Parkinson's patients have sleep issues ranging from nocturnal movements or insomnia to daytime sleepiness. Abnormal lipid trafficking in certain neurons in the brain can disrupt the production and release of neuropeptides, which in turn affects the regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms.’
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Problems with sleeping patterns are one of the earliest symptoms of the disease, sometimes occurring as much as ten years prior to the onset of motor symptoms and often before the actual diagnosis is made. Needless to say, this has a huge impact on people with Parkinson's and their loved ones.Lipid defects in the brain
Using induced human pluripotent stem cells derived from people with a hereditary form of Parkinson's disease, as well as genetically modified fruit flies with Parkinson's symptoms, a team of scientists lead by Patrik Verstreken (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) uncovered problems with the so-called neuropeptidergic neurons, a specific type of neurons that regulate sleeping patterns.
Abnormal lipid trafficking in these neurons disrupts the production and release of neuropeptides, which in turn affects the regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms. The result is a disturbed sleep-wake cycle in the genetically modified flies.
Restoring the lipid balance?
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The findings are promising, but the scientists underscore that a lot of work needs to be done before the results can be translated to patients.
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Paradigm shift
Non-motoric symptoms often receive less attention, but nonetheless, have a major impact on patients' lives. Understanding and potentially intervening in what causes sleep problems in Parkinson's disease is thus an important step forward, but according to Verstreken the findings are also a real conceptual game-changer: "The main culprits of the motor symptoms are dopaminergic neurons, but the circadian rhythm and sleep pattern problems are specific to defects in neuropeptidergic neurons. Unlike for dopaminergic neurons, the neuropeptidergic problems are caused by neuronal dysfunction, not degeneration, which implies that they can be corrected. This could be a real paradigm shift in the Parkinson's disease field."
Source-Eurekalert