Parkinson's Parkinson's Sleep and Autonomic Function

Question 1

Which sleep disorder is considered a prodromal marker of Parkinson's disease, sometimes appearing 10–15 years before motor symptoms?

Accepted Answer

REM sleep behavior disorder

Answer

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), in which patients physically act out their dreams, is strongly linked to Parkinson's and can precede motor symptoms by a decade or more.

Question 2

What abnormality at the muscle level characterizes REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)?

Accepted Answer

Loss of normal REM sleep muscle atonia (paralysis)

Answer

Normally, muscles are paralyzed (atonic) during REM sleep to prevent dream enactment; in RBD this atonia is absent, allowing physical movements.

Question 3

Which of the following is the most common sleep complaint reported by Parkinson's disease patients?

Accepted Answer

Frequent nighttime awakenings with difficulty returning to sleep

Answer

Frequent nocturnal awakenings caused by motor symptoms, pain, nocturia, and medication wearing-off are the most prevalent sleep complaint in PD.

Question 4

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in Parkinson's disease is most strongly associated with which medication class?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine agonists

Answer

Dopamine agonists such as pramipexole and ropinirole are most frequently linked to excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks in PD.

Question 5

Sudden, irresistible 'sleep attacks' in Parkinson's disease are most often associated with which specific drug?

Accepted Answer

Pramipexole (a dopamine agonist)

Answer

Pramipexole, a dopamine agonist, is among the drugs most commonly implicated in sudden sleep attacks and carries an FDA warning regarding this risk.

Parkinson's Practice Test

Parkinson's Practice Test

Parkinson's Parkinson's Sleep and Autonomic Function