Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD)

Abstract

Normal skeletal muscle atonia's intermittent absence, which results in acting out patient's dreams, is the characteristic of the Rapid eye movement Behavior Disorder or RBD. The occurrence of RBD is in the last third part of the night. In this part, the REM sleep is much more common. The dreams during RBD would be vivid and patient's violent and aggressive behavior and movements can be dangerous for the patient and his/her bed partner. RBD is most common in older men. Its etiology is not clear but RBD is associated with some neurodegenerative diseases like multiple system atrophy, parkinson's disease and lewy body dementia. This association specifically with parkinson's disease is high, since about 50 percent of the patients with RBD develop parkinson's disease during years. In the association between RBD and neurodegenerative diseases, RBD's occurrence would usually be preceded such neurodegenerative diseases by several years.