He was the first person to be diagnosed with a new sleep disorder. It led to a scientific breakthrough

Five years ago, a retired grocery manufacturer from Golden Valley, Minnesota, became the first patient diagnosed with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD). The discovery of RBD led to the identification of early signs of Parkinson’s disease and a unique form of dementia called Lewy body. Researchers found that during REM sleep, the brain typically paralyzes the body to prevent acting out dreams, but RBD patients were able to physically act out their dreams. Symptoms of RBD include kicking, punching, and loud talking or screaming during sleep. RBD was also found to be a predictor of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia. Medication can help control these nighttime behaviors, and clinical trials are currently underway to slow the progression of RBD into Parkinson’s and dementia.