Sleep problems and hypothalamic dopamine D3 receptor availability in Parkinson disease

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sleep problems and hypothalamic dopamine D3 receptor availability in Parkinson disease

AU - Pagano, Gennaro

AU - Molloy, Sophie

AU - Bain, Peter G.

AU - Rabiner, Eugenii A.

AU - Chaudhuri, K. Ray

AU - Brooks, David J.

AU - Pavese, Nicola

PY - 2016/12/6

Y1 - 2016/12/6

N2 - Objective: To investigate the relationship between hypothalamic D3 dopamine receptor availability and severity of sleep problems in Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: Twelve patients were assessed with PET and the high-affinity dopamine D3 receptor radioligand [ 11 C]-propyl-hexahydro-naphtho-oxazin ([ 11 C]-PHNO). Severity of sleep problems was rated with appropriate subitems of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part I (patient questionnaire) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results: We found that lower dopamine D3 receptor availability measured with [ 11 C]-PHNO PET was associated with greater severity of excessive daytime sleepiness but not with problems of falling asleep or insomnia. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients with PD, the occurrence of excessive daytime sleepiness was linked to reductions in hypothalamic dopamine D3 receptor availability. If these preliminary findings are confirmed in larger cohorts of patients with polysomnographic characterization, selective pharmacologic modulation of the dopaminergic D3 system could be used to increase daytime alertness in patients with PD.

AB - Objective: To investigate the relationship between hypothalamic D3 dopamine receptor availability and severity of sleep problems in Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: Twelve patients were assessed with PET and the high-affinity dopamine D3 receptor radioligand [ 11 C]-propyl-hexahydro-naphtho-oxazin ([ 11 C]-PHNO). Severity of sleep problems was rated with appropriate subitems of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part I (patient questionnaire) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results: We found that lower dopamine D3 receptor availability measured with [ 11 C]-PHNO PET was associated with greater severity of excessive daytime sleepiness but not with problems of falling asleep or insomnia. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients with PD, the occurrence of excessive daytime sleepiness was linked to reductions in hypothalamic dopamine D3 receptor availability. If these preliminary findings are confirmed in larger cohorts of patients with polysomnographic characterization, selective pharmacologic modulation of the dopaminergic D3 system could be used to increase daytime alertness in patients with PD.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85002746782&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003396

DO - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003396

M3 - Article

C2 - 27807182

AN - SCOPUS:85002746782

SN - 0028-3878

VL - 87

SP - 2451

EP - 2456

JO - Neurology

JF - Neurology

IS - 23

ER -