Breakthrough in Predicting Neurodegenerative Diseases

In a significant scientific development, an international team led by the University of Montreal has identified biological markers in the brain that can predict whether individuals with REM sleep disorder will develop Parkinson’s disease or dementia with Lewy bodies. These findings pave the way for early diagnosis and preventive treatment before irreversible brain damage occurs.

Biomarkers for Predicting Parkinson’s Disease

The first study, led by PhD student in neuroscience Violet Airal, revealed that a decline in the function of the brain’s glymphatic system indicates a doubled risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. This system is responsible for removing metabolic waste during sleep, and when it malfunctions, waste accumulates, leading to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

An advanced MRI technique known as DTI-ALPS was used to measure fluid movement in specific brain regions of 250 patients with REM sleep disorder and 178 healthy individuals. The results showed that patients with a low DTI-ALPS index in the left hemisphere of the brain were 2.4 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease in subsequent years.

Biomarkers for Predicting Dementia with Lewy Bodies

The second study, led by PhD student in neuropsychology Celine Haddad, focused on measuring the amount of “free water” in the brain’s basal nucleus of Meynert, a critical area for thinking and planning. The findings indicated that individuals who developed dementia with Lewy bodies had significantly higher levels of free water, increasing their likelihood of developing this type of dementia by eightfold.

This method proved to be more sensitive than traditional brain atrophy-based approaches, capturing very early changes even before symptoms appear.

Towards Precision Medicine

These studies represent the largest international imaging research conducted on patients with REM sleep disorder confirmed by sleep studies, paving the way for personalized screening tests to predict diseases before symptoms emerge. Thanks to these discoveries, doctors can tailor medical monitoring for each patient and better direct clinical trials for preventive treatments.

The researchers stated that the early intervention model developed could transform the care of neurodegenerative diseases by addressing them before irreversible damage occurs.

Conclusion

Thanks to these complementary studies, it is now possible to better predict the diseases that may develop in patients suffering from REM sleep disorder. These new tools represent a significant step towards providing personalized and more precise medical care for individuals at risk of these diseases, potentially improving quality of life and reducing the impact of neurodegenerative diseases.