Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder: Management and Prognostic Counseling

Sleep Med Clin. 2024 Mar;19(1):83-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2023.12.001. Epub 2023 Dec 26.

Abstract

Management of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) includes reducing injurious dream-enactment behaviors, risk of injury to self and bedpartner, and vivid or disruptive dreams and improving sleep quality and bedpartner sleep disruption. Safety precautions should be reviewed at each visit. Medications to reduce RBD symptoms such as melatonin, clonazepam, pramipexole, and rivastigmine should be considered for most patients. Isolated RBD confers a high lifetime risk of neurodegenerative diseases with a latency often spanning many years. A patient-centered shared decision-making approach to risk disclosure is recommended. Knowledge of the risk allows for life planning and participation in research.

Keywords: Clonazepam; Dementia; Melatonin; Neurodegeneration; Parkinson disease; Prognostic counseling; Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder; Treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Clonazepam / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Melatonin* / therapeutic use
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases*
  • Prognosis
  • REM Sleep Behavior Disorder* / diagnosis
  • REM Sleep Behavior Disorder* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Clonazepam
  • Melatonin