Genetic associations between post-traumatic stress disorder and REM-sleep behavior disorder
Isolated/idiopathic rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is, in most cases, an early form of α -synuclein-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Clinical reports suggest that iRBD is more common in individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) compared to those without PTSD. We conducted polygenic risk score (PRS), genetic correlation, and Mendelian randomization analyses to explore potential genetic and/or causal associations between PTSD and iRBD. Dopamine transporter imaging binding status was also examined in iRBD patients with (N = 6) and without PTSD (N = 32). While not supporting a causal relationship, genetic analyses revealed a significant association between PTSD and iRBD, consistent with the exploratory imaging substudy. These findings suggest that individuals genetically at risk for PTSD may also be at higher risk for iRBD. Further investigation of iRBD in individuals with PTSD may help inform potential neurodegenerative risk.
Authors
- Abubaker Ibrahim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0544-030X)
- Jonathan E. Elliott (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6992-6851)
- Farnaz Asayesh
- Annette Janzen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8907-5831)
- Karel Šonka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5773-9656)
- Valérie Cochen De Cock (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6460-4319)
- Angelica Montini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5625-8850)
- Lee E. Neilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1866-0344)
- Pietro Mattioli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2563-5830)
- Francesco Janes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1534-1409)
- L Ferini-Strambi
- Giuseppe Fiamingo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5030-6425)
- Matěj Škorvánek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5497-8715)
- Gian Luigi Gigli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3526-1414)
- David Kemlink (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1398-5796)
- Beatriz Abril
- Wolfgang Oertel
- Morvarid Ghamgosar Shahkhali
- Mohammad H. Ghamgosar Shahkhali
- Merve Aktan-Süzgün
- Yo‐El Ju
- M. Puligheddu
- Michele T.M. Hu
- Jacques Y. Montplaisir
- Michael Sommerauer
- I Arnulf
- Alex Desautels
- Michela Figorilli
- Brit Mollenhauer
- Elena Antelmi
- Andrea Bernardini
- Dario Arnaldi
- Pauline Dodet
- Mariarosaria Valente
- Ambra Stefani
- Yves Dauvilliers
- Eric Yu
- Jamil Ahmad
- Birgit Högl
- Lang Liu
- Mineke Viaene
- Mónica Serradell
- Beatrice Orso
- Gültekin Tamgüney
- Gerard Maya
- Jean-François Gagnon
- Jitka Bušková
- Carles Gaig
- Alex Iranzo
- Owen A. Ross
- Kristina Kulcsarova
- Friederike Sixel-Doring
- Ziv Gan-Or
- Ronald B. Postuma
- Michele Terzaghi
- Miranda M. Lim
- Petr Dusek
- Guy A. Rouleau
- Bradley F. Boeve
- Meron Teferra
- Femke Dijkstra
Institutions
- University of Verona (IT)
- University of Udine (IT)
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (CA)
- Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT)
- Inserm (FR)
- Université du Québec à Montréal (CA)
- Philipps University of Marburg (DE)
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- University of Cologne (DE)
- Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik (SK)
- Charles University (CZ)
- University of Pavia (IT)
- University Hospital Bonn (DE)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR)
- Clinique du Millénaire (FR)
- Antwerp University Hospital (BE)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nîmes (FR)
- Univerzitná Nemocnica Louisa Pasteura (SK)
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (ES)
- McGill Genome Centre (CA)
- Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (FR)
- Paracelsus Elena Klinik Kassel (DE)
- Mayo Clinic in Arizona (US)
- IMT Mines Alès (FR)
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (FR)
- Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (CA)
- VA Portland Health Care System (US)
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino (IT)
- Mayo Clinic in Florida (US)
- University Hospital Cologne (DE)
- Canadian Sleep & Circadian Network (CA)
- National Institute of Mental Health (CZ)
- EuroMov Digital Health in Motion
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
- McGill University (CA)
- Université de Nîmes (FR)
- Université de Montréal (CA)
- University of Genoa (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Parkinson s Disease
- Published
- 2026-05-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-026-01397-6
- Primary Topic
- Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation
- Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
- Consortium canadien en neurodégénérescence associée au vieillissement
- National Institute on Aging