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Disrupted circadian rhythms linked to later Parkinson's diagnoses: Researchers probe brain's 24-hour biological clock for neurodegenerative risks:

Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. 500,000 individuals in the United States have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and many with the disease are undiagnosed, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Most who have Parkinson's are diagnosed after age 60. There are no drugs known to prevent the disease, but there are a growing number of treatments to relieve symptoms.

[...] The study, which enrolled 2,930 men with an average age of 76.3 when the research began, was part of the larger, population-based Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MRoS), which began in 2000 and enrolled men at six medical centers nationwide. None of the participants in the subset of the MRoS cohort initially had Parkinson's, and all were living in community-based settings (i.e. not in nursing homes). Their status for many health-related factors was assessed at the start, and they were monitored through follow-up visits and questionnaires.

As part of the study, researchers monitored circadian rhythms of rest and activity over three separate 24-hour periods by having participants wear an actigraph -- a watch-like device that detects and records even slight wrist movements. The data collected from these devices were independently associated with the later development of Parkinson's.

In a previous study, Leng and Yaffe identified an association between daytime napping and the later development of Parkinson's. But the link between circadian rhythms and Parkinson's is not just a matter or disrupted sleep, according to the new study. The association held true even after accounting for indicators of sleep disturbances -- including loss of sleep; sleep inefficiency (time spent asleep after turning off the lights); leg movement during sleep; and the chronic, temporary cessation of breathing known as sleep apnea.

Journal Reference:
Yue Leng, Kristine Yaffe, Terri Blackwell, et al. Association of Circadian Abnormalities in Older Adults With an Increased Risk of Parkinson Disease, JAMA Neurology (DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.1623)

Original Submission