Khaberni - A recent study has linked a mysterious sleep disorder with increased risks of cognitive decline in later stages of life.
The study revealed that the disorder of rapid eye movement sleep behavior (iRBD), characterized by a sleeper engaging in violent actions such as screaming, kicking, and punching during sleep, may be an early indicator of cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia in the future.
The rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) affects about 2% of the elderly, where the patient loses the normal muscle paralysis associated with the "dream sleep" stage (REM). In this stage, characterized by increased brain activity and rapid eye movement, a person begins to physically enact their dreams, which can lead to screaming or laughing during sleep, violent movement, or jumping out of bed and unintentionally harming their bed partner.
The recent study included 162 patients in South Korea, with an average age of 66, and monitored their cognitive conditions over seven years through the evaluation of 320 neurological and psychological indicators.
The results revealed a gradual decline in several cognitive functions among the participants, with a noticeable weakness in information processing speed and in levels of attention and working memory, as well as deterioration in both verbal and visual memory. Interestingly, this decline continued even among patients whose condition did not progress to severe neurological diseases such as dementia or Parkinson's disease during the follow-up period.
The study also highlighted a significant difference between genders, showing that the pace of cognitive decline in women with the disorder was much slower than in men, indicating a greater ability to withstand brain changes.
The researchers recommended developing monitoring mechanisms tailored to the gender characteristics of the patients, calling for further research to understand the underlying biological bases for these differences.
