Religiosity and Risk of Parkinson's Disease in England and the USA.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with low religiosity cross-sectionally. Whether low religiosity might be associated with an increased risk for developing PD is unknown. This study investigated whether low religiosity in adulthood is associated with increased risk for developing PD. A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted. Participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Midlife in the United States study who were free from PD at baseline (2004-2011) and completed questionnaires on self-reported religiosity, were included in a pooled analysis. Incident PD was based on self-report. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for developing PD according to baseline religiosity, with adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, health and lifestyle factors and engagement in religious practices. Among 9,796 participants in the pooled dataset, 74 (0.8%) cases of incident PD were identified during a median follow-up of 8.1 years. In the fully adjusted model, compared with participants who considered religion very important in their lives at baseline, it was found that participants who considered religion "not at all important" in their lives had a tenfold risk of developing PD during follow-up (OR, 9.99; 95% CI 3.28-30.36). Moreover, there was a dose-response relationship between decreasing religiosity and increasing PD risk (P < 0.001 for trend). These associations were similar when adjusting for religious upbringing and when cases occurring within the first two years of follow-up were excluded from the analysis. The association was somewhat attenuated when religious practices were removed from the model as covariates, though it remained statistically significant (OR for "not at all important" vs. "very important", 2.26; 95% CI 1.03-4.95) (P < 0.029 for trend). This longitudinal study provides evidence for the first time that low religiosity in adulthood may be a strong risk factor for developing PD.

Distressing dreams in childhood and risk of cognitive impairment or Parkinson's disease in adulthood: a national birth cohort study.

Background: Distressing dreams in middle-aged and older adults have been associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment (including dementia) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether distressing dreams in younger people might be associated with an increased risk of developing these conditions is unknown. This study investigated the association between distressing dreams in childhood and the risk of developing cognitive impairment or PD by age 50. Methods: Data from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study - a prospective birth cohort which included all people born in Britain during a single week in 1958, were used in this longitudinal analysis. Information on distressing dreams were obtained prospectively from the children's mothers at ages 7 (1965) and 11 (1969). Cognitive impairment and PD at age 50 (2008) were determined by cognitive assessment and doctor-diagnosis respectively. The association between distressing dreams at ages 7 and 11 (no time point, 1 time point, 2 time points) and cognitive impairment or PD at age 50, was evaluated using multivariable Firth logistic regression, with adjustment for potential confounders. Findings: Among 6991 children (50.6% female) with follow-up available at age 50, 267 (3.8%) developed cognitive impairment or PD. After adjustment for all covariates, having more regular distressing dreams during childhood was linearly and statistically significantly associated with higher risk of developing cognitive impairment or PD by age 50 (P for trend = 0.037). Compared with children who never had distressing dreams (no time point), children who had persistent distressing dreams (2 time points) had an 85% increased risk of developing cognitive impairment or PD by age 50 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.11). Interpretation: Having persistent distressing dreams during childhood may be associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment or PD in adulthood. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether treating distressing dreams during early life may lower the risk of dementia and PD. Funding: The study received no external funding.

Association of sleep abnormalities in older adults with risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with abnormalities of sleep macro- and microstructure as measured using polysomnography (PSG). Whether these abnormalities precede the development of PD is unknown. This study investigated the association between PSG measured sleep abnormalities in older adults and the risk of incident PD. METHODS: A total of 2,770 men from the ancillary sleep study of the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS), a population-based cohort from the United States, who were free from PD baseline and underwent overnight PSG, were included in this longitudinal analysis. Incident PD was based on a clinical diagnosis from a medical professional. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for incident PD by quartiles of PSG measures, with adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, and lifestyle factors. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.8 years, 70 (2.5%) cases of incident PD were identified. Longer total sleep time, lower rapid eye movement sleep (REM) percentage, a lower α/θ ratio during non-REM sleep and higher minimum oxygen saturations during REM sleep, were each associated with an increased risk of developing PD. Conversely, a higher awakening index was associated with a decreased risk of developing PD. The OR for the highest risk quartiles compared to the lowest risk quartiles, ranged from 2.1 to 3.7 (p's < .05). The associations remained significant when cases occurring within the first two years of follow-up were excluded from the analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Macro- and micro-structural sleep abnormalities precede the development of PD by several years and can identify individuals at high risk of developing PD in the future.

Distressing dreams, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia: A prospective study of three population-based cohorts.

Background: Distressing dreams are associated with faster cognitive decline and increased dementia risk in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether distressing dreams might be associated with cognitive decline and dementia in people without PD is unknown. This study investigated the association between self-reported distressing dream frequency and the risk of cognitive decline and incident dementia in community-dwelling men and women without cognitive impairment or PD. Methods: Risk of cognitive decline was evaluated in 605 middle-aged adults (mean age = 50 years [IQR 44-57]; 55·7% female) from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, who were cognitively normal at baseline, and were followed-up for a maximum of 13 years (IQR 9-10). Cognitive decline was defined as having an annual rate of decline in global cognitive function (measured using five cognitive tests) ≥ 1 standard deviation faster than the mean decline rate from baseline to follow-up. Risk of incident all-cause dementia was evaluated in 2600 older adults (mean age = 83 years [IQR 81-84]; 56·7% female) pooled from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS) and the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF), who were dementia-free at baseline, and were followed-up for up a maximum of 7 years (IQR 4-5). Incident dementia was based on doctor-diagnosis. Frequency of distressing dreams was assessed in all cohorts at baseline (January 2002 - March 2012) using item 5h of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The association between self-reported distressing dream frequency ("never", "less than weekly", "weekly") and later cognitive outcomes, was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression in both the middle-aged and pooled older adult cohorts. Findings: After adjustment for all covariates, a higher frequency of distressing dreams was linearly and statistically significantly associated with higher risk of cognitive decline amongst middle-aged adults (P for trend = 0·016), and higher risk of incident all-cause dementia amongst older adults (P for trend <0·001). Compared with middle-aged adults who reported having no distressing dreams at baseline, those who reported having weekly distressing dreams had a 4-fold risk of experiencing cognitive decline (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3·99; 95% CI: 1·07, 14·85). Amongst older adults, the difference in dementia risk was 2·2-fold (aOR = 2·21; 95% CI: 1·35, 3·62). In sex-stratified analyses, the associations between distressing dreams and both cognitive outcomes were only statistically significant amongst men. Interpretation: Distressing dreams predict cognitive decline and all-cause dementia in middle-aged and older adults without cognitive impairment or PD - especially amongst men. These findings may help to identify individuals at risk of dementia and could facilitate early prevention strategies. Funding: The study received no external funding.

Dream Content Predicts Motor and Cognitive Decline in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Dream content alterations in Parkinson's disease (PD) are associated with motor and cognitive dysfunction cross-sectionally. Although recent studies suggest abnormal dream content in PD might also predict cognitive decline, the relationship between dream content and motor decline in PD remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether abnormal dream content in PD predicts both motor and cognitive decline. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative cohort study. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at the 60-month follow-up, with validated clinical scales, including the REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS III). Patients were dichotomized using RBDSQ item 2, which inquires whether they frequently experience aggression in their dreams. Regression analyses were used to assess whether frequent aggressive dreams at baseline predicted longitudinal changes in MDS-UPDRS III and MoCA scores as well as progression to Hoehn and Yahr stage 3 (H&Y ≥ 3) and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Of the patients, 58/224 (25.9%) reported frequent aggressive dreams at baseline. Aggressive dreams predicted a faster increase in MDS-UPDRS III scores (ß = 4.64; P = 0.007) and a faster decrease in MoCA scores (ß = -1.49; P = 0.001). Furthermore, they conferred a 6-fold and 2-fold risk for progressing to H&Y ≥ 3 (odds ratio [OR] = 5.82; P = 0.005) and cognitive impairment (OR, 2.35; P = 0.023) within 60 months. These associations remained robust when adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates for the first time that frequent aggressive dreams in newly diagnosed PD may independently predict early motor and cognitive decline.

Adherence to wakefulness promoting medication in patients with narcolepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Narcolepsy management usually requires lifelong pharmacotherapy. However, we know little about adherence to prescribed treatment in narcolepsy. We assessed adherence to wakefulness-promoting agents in narcolepsy patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively assessed adherence to wakefulness promoting medication in patients with narcolepsy using the Medicines Possession Ratio (MPR). Three levels of adherence were defined: poor (≤50%), intermediate (51-79%), and good (≥80%). Refractory daytime sleepiness was defined as an Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) score >12 despite trialling at least three wakefulness-promoting agents. We compared demographic and clinical factors, and prescribed medications between patients, stratified by levels of adherence, as well as by presence or not of refractory sleepiness. RESULTS: We included 116 patients with narcolepsy (54.3% female, mean age 39.4 (±14) years). In sum, 93 (80.2%) patients had a diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), and 23 (19.8%) of type 2 (NT2). Suboptimal symptom control was common: 39.8% had refractory sleepiness, and 47.3% of NT1 patients had persistent cataplexy. Good adherence was seen in only 55.2% of patients, while 12.9% were intermediately and 31.9% poorly adherent. Patients with poor adherence were more likely to have a diagnosis of NT2, but adherence did not vary according to gender, age, the presence of psychiatric co-morbidity, or the presence of apparent intractable symptoms. Levels of good adherence to therapy were no better in patients with refractory sleepiness than in those with satisfactory symptom control (56.5% vs 54.3%; p = 0.81). CONCLUSION: Suboptimal adherence to prescribed therapy is common in narcolepsy patients, including those with apparent intractable symptoms, and particularly in patients with NT2.