Fasiello E, Scarpelli S, Gorgoni M, Alfonsi V, De Gennaro L. Dreaming in Parasomnias: REM Sleep Behavior Disorder as a Model.
J Clin Med 2022;
11:6379. [PMID:
36362607 PMCID:
PMC9654698 DOI:
10.3390/jcm11216379]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep parasomnias have drawn the interest of sleep experts because they represent a valuable window to directly monitor dream activity and sleep mentation associated with nocturnal events. Indeed, parasomnias and their manifestations are helpful in investigating dream activity and features, overcoming methodological limits that affect dream study. Specifically, REM sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by enacted dream episodes during Rapid Eye Movements (REM) sleep, caused by the loss of physiological atonia. Patients suffering from RBD report a peculiar oneiric activity associated with motor episodes characterized by high Dream Recall Frequency (DRF) and vivid dreams. Additionally, isolated RBD (iRBD) represents a prodromal stage of neurodegeneration preceding the development of α-synucleinopathies. This narrative review aims to combine evidence describing dream activity in RBD and similarities and differences with other NREM parasomnias. Moreover, a special focus has been reserved for those conditions in which RBD is associated with α-synucleinopathies to clarify the potential role of dreams in neurodegenerative processes.
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