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Association of REM sleep behavior disorder and neurodegenerative disease may reflect an underlying synucleinopathy
Boeve BF, Silber MH, Ferman TJ, Lucas JA, Parisi JE.. Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 2001-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Our objective was to examine whether rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder occurs in disproportionally greater frequency in multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson's disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), collectively known as the synucleinopathies, compared to other nonsynucleinopathy neurodegenerative disorders. The frequency of suspected and polysomnogram (PSG)-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) among subjects with the synucleinopathies MSA, PD, or DLB was compared to the frequency among subjects with the nonsynucleinopathies Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). The frequency of probable RBD among patients with PD and DLB was compared to the frequency among patients with AD and MCI. In study 1, patients with MSA, PD, or DLB were more likely to have probable and PSG-confirmed RBD compared to subjects with the nonsynucleinopathies (probable RBD 77/120=64% vs. 7/278=3%, p < 0.01; PSG-confirmed RBD 47/120=39% vs. 1/278=0%, p < 0.01). In study 2, patients with PD and DLB were more likely to have probable RBD compared to those with AD and MCI (56% vs. 2%, p < 0.01). Clinically suspected and PSG-proven RBD occurs with disproportionally greater frequency in MSA, PD, and DLB compared to other neurodegenerative disorders.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Boeve, B. F., Silber, M. H., Ferman, T. J., Lucas, J. A., & Parisi, J. E. (2001). Association of REM sleep behavior disorder and neurodegenerative disease may reflect an underlying synucleinopathy. Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.1120
Vancouver
Boeve BF, Silber MH, Ferman TJ, Lucas JA, Parisi JE. Association of REM sleep behavior disorder and neurodegenerative disease may reflect an underlying synucleinopathy. Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society. 2001. doi:10.1002/mds.1120. PMID: 11481685.
BibTeX
@article{boeve2001-11481685,
author = {Boeve, B. F. and Silber, M. H. and Ferman, T. J. and Lucas, J. A. and Parisi, J. E.},
title = {{Association of REM sleep behavior disorder and neurodegenerative disease may reflect an underlying synucleinopathy}},
journal = {Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1002/mds.1120},
pmid = {11481685},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.1120}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Our objective was to examine whether rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder occurs in disproportionally greater frequency in multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson's disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), collectively known as the synucleinopathies, compared to other nonsynucleinopathy neurodegenerative disorders.
- The frequency of suspected and polysomnogram (PSG)-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) among subjects with the synucleinopathies MSA, PD, or DLB was compared to the frequency among subjects with the nonsynucleinopathies Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and posterior cortical atrophy (PCA).
- The frequency of probable RBD among patients with PD and DLB was compared to the frequency among patients with AD and MCI.
- In study 1, patients with MSA, PD, or DLB were more likely to have probable and PSG-confirmed RBD compared to subjects with the nonsynucleinopathies (probable RBD 77/120=64% vs. 7/278=3%, p < 0.01; PSG-confirmed RBD 47/120=39% vs. 1/278=0%, p < 0.01).
- In study 2, patients with PD and DLB were more likely to have probable RBD compared to those with AD and MCI (56% vs. 2%, p < 0.01).
Why it matters
This study found that REM sleep behavior disorder occurred much more often in people with synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies than in those with Alzheimer's disease and other nonsynucleinopathy disorders. It is about distinguishing these conditions, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Effect size91.7%; 94.3%; 100.0%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Movement Disorders: journal h-index 281 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2001 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 600 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.2 citations a year over 27 year(s) since 2001 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Joseph E. Parisi: h-index 75 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11481685) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
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