RBD Question of the Week❓💤💡 How is RBD diagnosed?

RBD Question of the Week❓💤💡

This week, we have NAPS Investigator, Dr. Aleksandar Videnovic at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital to answer one of our most pressing RBD questions.

Q: How is RBD diagnosed?

A: RBD is diagnosed after a careful consultation by a sleep physician or another specialist with expertise in managing sleep disorders.

RBD diagnosis requires the presence of repeated episodes of motor and/or vocal behaviors at night (referred to as Dream Enactment Behaviors, DEB) and a verification of elevated muscle activity (referred to as REM sleep without atonia, RSWA) by an overnight sleep study (polysomnogram) performed in a sleep laboratory. Since conditions resembling RBD may result in DEB and RSWA, it is important to seek appropriate medical consultation so the correct diagnosis is established.