Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of disorders that damage the brain, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and others. People with these disorders can develop symptoms such as memory loss, stumbling, or difficulty thinking.
Some neurodegenerative disorders can be associated with sleep disturbances. These are often called parasomnias.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders
Circadian Rhythm Disorders are a group of conditions that affect the body’s internal clock. These disorders can cause a range of symptoms, from minor social impacts to serious medical problems, such as sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. Smart pill Modalert 200 is used to treat obstructive sleep apnea patients who still feel sleepy despite continuous positive airway pressure.
Most people operate on a 24-hour biological clock that is synchronized with bodily hormone production and natural light and dark cycles. These rhythms are important for regulating body temperature, metabolism, and other processes in the body.
In addition, these rhythms regulate the body’s melatonin levels and other hormones that affect sleep and wakefulness. When these rhythms are disrupted, it can cause a variety of sleep and daytime-related symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, and mood disturbances.
Circadian rhythm disorders are diagnosed by looking at a patient’s weekly routine, and travel history, and by using a wristwatch-like device called an actigraph that records information such as light exposure, activity, and wake-up and bedtimes. Sometimes overnight and daytime sleep studies are also required.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is an abnormal behavior that occurs during Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep. Normally, during this sleep phase, muscles enter a state of temporary paralysis to prevent individuals from acting out their dreams with potentially injurious behaviors.
In RBD, the body’s muscle paralysis is incomplete or completely absent, so individuals “act out” their dreams in violent ways that can be very dangerous to themselves and their bed partner. The lack of paralysis allows people to hit, kick, and jump as hard or as far as they normally would during awake time.
People with REM sleep behavior disorder may also utter words, flail or kick their arms or fall out of bed. They are more likely to injure themselves or their sleep partner than those with sleepwalking and sleep terrors.
Periodic Leg Movements in Sleep
Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) is a condition where the legs and arms move involuntarily during sleep. These involuntary movements occur every 20 to 40 seconds and may last for minutes or hours during the night.
PLMS is usually the result of an underlying medical condition, such as low iron levels or a problem with the nerves in the limbs. Treatment for PLMS can include a mix of lifestyle changes and medication, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
PLMS occurs in about 4% of adults, and the frequency of PLMS increases with age. It is often a symptom of comorbid sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea or neuropsychiatric conditions. It is also associated with withdrawal from certain medications, such as sedatives. Smart pills Waklert 150 are also used for residual sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnea.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common, but a not always well-understood, disorder that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in the legs. It often occurs during sleep, usually at night.
People with RLS have itching, crawling, aching, pins and needles, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs that are accompanied by an irresistible urge to move them. The symptoms are most often felt in the lower legs, but can also affect the thighs and feet.
It’s not clear why some people get it, while others don’t. Researchers are looking for genetic links and trying to find new treatments for this common disorder.
Several genes have been associated with the disease. One of these is MEIS1, a gene that regulates the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopmental processes. This gene is also involved in iron homeostasis and dopaminergic function, both of which are known to be impaired in patients with restless legs syndrome.
