Sleep testing to track REM sleep behavior disorder
NAPS2 Polysomnogram Core
This project collects repeat overnight sleep recordings to track REM sleep behavior disorder in people at risk for Parkinson’s and related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321183 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have research-quality overnight polysomnograms (sleep studies) recorded, with over 300 people with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and matched control participants enrolled. The same participants will have recordings twice, two years apart, while a central PSG Core standardizes scoring and analysis across sites. Your de-identified sleep signals, including REM sleep without atonia (RSWA), would be pooled and shared with researchers to define biomarker ranges and how they change over time. Participation typically involves overnight visits at a participating sleep center and allowing your sleep data to be used for future research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with or showing symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder who can undergo overnight polysomnography and attend follow-up visits, along with matched healthy control participants.
Not a fit: People without RBD symptoms or those unable or unwilling to complete overnight sleep studies or follow-up visits are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify early sleep-based signs of Parkinson’s and related synucleinopathies, enabling earlier monitoring and future neuroprotective trials.
How similar studies have performed: Retrospective and single-site studies have shown that REM sleep without atonia (RSWA) often increases over time and can predict conversion to synucleinopathies, but large prospective multicenter validation is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: St. Louis, Erik Kent — Washington University
- Study coordinator: St. Louis, Erik Kent
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.