Visual hallucinations and symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder in Parkinsonian tauopathies.
BACKGROUND
In Parkinsonism, visual hallucinations (VH) and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have been thought to indicate underlying synucleinopathy.


OBJECTIVE
We tested the validity of this hypothesis by searching for VH and RBD symptoms in Parkinsonism related to tauopathies.


METHODS
Patients with progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal degeneration were identified via a clinical data bank.


RESULTS
Of 53 patients who expressed study interest by telephone, 44 returned questionnaires. VH occurred in 16% of patients. Similarly, acting out of dreams occurred in 16% of patients. Neither VH nor RBD symptoms were linked to disease duration or dopaminergic medication and there was no mutual association.


CONCLUSIONS
VH and RBD symptoms also occur in Parkinsonism related to tauopathies, thus refuting the initial hypothesis.
Diederich
Nico J
NJ
Department of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg-City, Luxembourg. diederdn@pt.lu
Leurgans
Sue
S
Fan
Wenqing
W
Chmura
Teresa A
TA
Goetz
Christopher G
CG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D024801:Tauopathies / Q000523:psychology*