REM sleep behavior disorder and REM sleep without atonia in probable Alzheimer disease

Abstract

Study objective: To determine the frequency of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and REM sleep without atonia among patients with Alzheimer disease and control subjects.

Design: Overnight polysomnography.

Settings: Sleep laboratory.

Patients: Fifteen patients with probable Alzheimer disease (mean age +/-SD, 70.2+/-5.6) and 15 age-matched healthy control subjects (mean age +/- SD, 67.9 +/-5.4).

Intervention: N/A.

Results: Four patients with Alzheimer disease presented REM sleep with-out atonia. One of these patients had all the polysomnographic features of RBD, including behavioral manifestations during REM sleep.

Conclusion: RBD is rare, but REM sleep without atonia is relatively fre-quent in patients with probable Alzheimer disease, a tauopathy.