A new study by researchers at Ireland's Maynooth University, based on patient data gathered by the US-based Michael J. Fox Foundation , found that an overwhelming 84% of patients with Parkinson's disease report struggling with sleep issues.
These were strongly linked to increased symptoms of depression, greater difficulty with independent living and an overall decline in quality of life.
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative brain disease after Alzheimer's and is estimated to affect 18,000 people in Ireland, and over six million people worldwide.
The Maynooth University study , carried out by researchers at the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research and the Department of Psychology , was published in the Journal of Sleep Research . The research team analysed data from over 38,000 Parkinson's patients, gathered by the Michael J. Fox Foundation .
This comprehensive database includes valuable insights into the patients' experiences with Parkinson's, as well as details on their mental health, cognition and sleep patterns. The findings revealed that 84% of patients with Parkinson's disease report struggling with sleep issues—significantly higher than the general population of the same age group.
The study highlights the direct consequences of these sleep problems: they were found to be strongly linked to increased symptoms of depression, greater difficulty with independent living and an overall decline in quality of life.
Furthermore, sleep disturbances were found to worsen the severity of "OFF periods," the times when the effects of Parkinson's medication diminish, leaving patients vulnerable to a return of debilitating symptoms.
The study was led by PhD candidate Ziba Asadpoordezaki , Research Fellow Dr Beverley Henley and Maynooth University's Prof Andrew Coogan , who said: "Sleep problems are a significant burden to quality of life in a number of chronic health conditions. Our study shows how important sleep is to address in Parkinson's disease, one of the most common and debilitating brain diseases."
Prof Coogan also noted the key enablers of their research: "The research database from the Michael J. Fox Foundation that we drew on in our study is a great example of the wonderful opportunities presented by large international studies for research that will help advance key questions in human health and benefit patients.
"In order to best take advantage of such opportunities, we also need collaborations between colleagues, such as facilitated in our study by the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research at MU, which brings together colleagues with different expertise in health-related research."
