NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Early brain changes in people whose dream‑enacting sleep began or worsened after SSRI antidepressants

Official title: Identification of Prodromal Neurodegeneration in Serotonergic-Induced REM sleep Behavior Disorder

Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11175319 · Data updated 2026-11-12

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 typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Minnesota
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Minneapolis, United States)
Project startSeptember 1, 2023
Project endAugust 31, 2028
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$2,276,803
NIH project number4RF1AG075101-03
Project IDNIH-11175319 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

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.

Less likely to help

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.

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.

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 gone: 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

  • University of Minnesota
    Minneapolis, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Howell, Michael J — University of Minnesota
  • Study coordinator: Howell, Michael J

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.