Early brain changes in people whose dream‑enacting sleep began or worsened after SSRI antidepressants
Identification of Prodromal Neurodegeneration in Serotonergic-Induced REM sleep Behavior Disorder
This project looks for early signs of brain degeneration in people who started acting out their dreams after beginning serotonergic antidepressants like SSRIs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175319 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your dream‑enacting behaviors began or got worse after starting an SSRI, the research team will study you to look for early signs of neurodegeneration. You may be asked to complete sleep recordings, tests of thinking and movement, color vision checks, and possibly brain imaging or other biomarker tests. The investigators will compare people with SSRI‑unmasked RBD to other RBD patients and to control participants to see whether the SSRI group already shows subtle cognitive, visual, or motor changes. Learning these patterns could help doctors spot who is at higher risk of developing Lewy body dementia or Parkinsonian disorders years before clear dementia appears.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults whose dream‑enacting behaviors (REM sleep behavior disorder) began or worsened after starting a serotonergic antidepressant such as an SSRI are the main candidates for this work.
Not a fit: People whose RBD has a clear non‑serotonergic cause, those already with advanced dementia, or those unwilling/unable to attend study visits or testing may not benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk for Lewy body dementia or Parkinson's disease earlier so they can get closer monitoring, earlier care planning, or access to prevention trials.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows RBD often precedes Lewy body disorders and some early markers have been found, but using these methods specifically in SSRI‑unmasked RBD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Howell, Michael J — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Howell, Michael J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.