Sleep and Mental Health

Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia in which individuals act out their dreams in the form of sleep talking, shouting, hitting or punching, etc. A number of studies have confirmed that most patients with RBD will eventually develop neurodegenerative diseases, especially α-synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson’s disease.Our previous studies have confirmed the familial aggregation of RBD, which means the onset of RBD and prodromal markers of PD (such as constipation and subtle motor dysfunction) were more common among the first-degree relatives of RBD patients.Moreover, latest studies showed that gut microbiota may play an important role in the onset and progression of synucleinopathies (neurodegenerative diseases). We hope to detect the composition of microbiota in the high risk population of neurodegeneration through the examination of fecal and mucosal sample, which will help understand the pathogenesis of synucleinopathy neurodegeneration and pave the way for future protective trial to slow the progression of neurodegeneration in this high-risk group.

We hope to invite you to Shatin Hospital for this study, if this is inconvenient for you, we can arrange home visits alternatively.

Study content:

Procedures last around 2 hours, overnight sleep assessment and colonoscopy require further arrangements. All assessments are free of charge and each participant will receive HK$100 (completed stool sample collection) or HK$200 (completed stool sample collection and colonoscopy) cash coupon as travel allowance