Relation between subtype of Parkinson's disease and REM sleep behavior disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is frequently found in Parkinson's disease (PD). PD has been classified in different subtypes and it is unknown if RBD occurs more often in one particular subtype.


METHODS
Determination of PD subtype by review of clinical history in consecutively diagnosed PD patients with RBD.


RESULTS
We determined the subtype (tremor- or non-tremor-predominant) of PD and the age at onset of parkinsonism and RBD by review of clinical history. PD patients with RBD had mostly the non-tremor-predominant subtype. RBD preceded parkinsonism only when parkinsonism started after the age of 50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
A different pattern of neurodegeneration in non-tremor-predominant PD may explain its preferential association with RBD. The neurodegeneration that causes PD might be insufficient to produce RBD before the sixth decade.
Kumru
Hatice
H
Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Santamaria
Joan
J
Tolosa
Eduard
E
Iranzo
Alex
A
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*