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Perhaps we are dreaming about the NIH & Dr. Varmus??? The Lancet,Volume 349, Number 9059 - Saturday 19 April 1997=20 Sleep violence seen--and felt--in Parkinson's disease. Sleep violence "largely goes unrecognised and unsought after" in patients with Parkinson's disease, even though in many cases it is also "very treatable", said Cynthia Comella (Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA) at the annual American Academy of Neurology meeting (Boston, MA, USA; April 12=AD19). Comella and her team investigated the frequency of nocturnal sleep-related violence and REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) in 37 men and 24 women with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Patients and caregivers separately assessed the patients' sleep quality, history of sleep disturbances prior to the onset of disease, and occurrence of sleep-related movements associated with injury to self or to the caregiver.=20 Seven men and two women (15%) were diagnosed with RBD. Their caregivers reported nocturnal running, pushing, kicking, and thrashing. If awakened during an episode, none of the patients were aware of making violent movements, but all reported aggressive dreams. Nine non-RBD men, but no women, also had episodes of sleep violence.=20 "Caregivers often won't tell you if they are punched, kicked, or choked at night unless you ask", Comella said. "Clinicians should make these questions part of a specific interview. Recognising the cause and initiating treatment may prevent injury and improve the relationship between patient and caregiver." RBD is "very responsive" to low doses of clonazepam, noted Comella. A larger study to determine whether clonazepam "eliminates all episodes of sleep violence in Parkinson's patients" is planned, she added.= =20 Marilynn Larkin Margaret Tuchman (55yrs, Dx 1980)- NJ-08540 [log in to unmask]