It nightmares that repeat at night and with that, continued trouble sleeping can be an early sign of cognitive decline and dementia. This is suggested by a study conducted by scientists from the University of Birmingham (UK), published in ‘eClinicalMedicine‘, the section of which is part of ‘The Lancet’ magazine.

According to this study, people suffering adults, at least once a week, are up to four times more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment. A symptom that can occur years or decades before suffering from memory problems. Doctor Otaiku Abidemifrom the University’s Center for Human Brain Health, explained to ‘Guardian‘ the importance of these findings among the general population and in particular, in healthy adults.

“Discovery is important, because there are very few identifiable indicators of dementia risk from middle age.” He also stressed that diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s “start long before the patient is diagnosed” and in some cases, nightmares and nightmares can be “the first sign.”

For the study, researchers followed a group of 600 healthy American adults between the ages of 35 and 64. Moreover, they collect data from other groups 2,600 adults healthy older adults, with a median age of about 80 years, also from the United States. None of them had dementia, and they were followed for between five and nine years.

The results of the investigation revealed that the people included in the first group and that they have at least two nightmares a week, four times more likely to experience cognitive decline over the next decade. Compared with people in the second group, the odds of suffering from cognitive impairment were twice as high in the years following diagnosis.

In fact, it also shows the difference between diagnoses in men and women. People who had nightmares every week were five times more likely to develop dementia, compared with those who had no trouble sleeping.

Parkinson’s and its relationship with nightmares

About him Dr Otaiku, one of the lead authors of the study, another study published last June in ‘Lancet‘, where he found evidence of an association between poor sleep habits and an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.

The study concluded that “people who have frequent nightmares are twice as likely to have Parkinson’s.” Despite this conclusion, the doctor himself clarified that it was only a factor that help to make early diagnosis of diseaseand other neurodegenerative diseases.