New research shows that smoking, head injury and pesticide exposure are risk factors for a rare sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams, occasionally causing bodily harm. The disorder, known as Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior, often is a precursor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and dementia.
The disorder is estimated to occur in only 0.5% of adults, but studies have shown that more than 50% of people with the disorder develop a neurodegenerative disease.
The study, led by Dr. Ronald Postuma of the Research Institute at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, appeared in the June 27 issue of the online journal Neurology.
