Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurologic disorder characterized by resting tremor, rigidity, akinesia (inability to move), and postural instability. The hallmark pathological finding believed to underlie these symptoms is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta. In addition to motor symptoms, many PD patients experience sleep
disturbances. These include reduced slow wave sleep (SWS), reduced
rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and excessive daytime
sleepiness. However, due to coincident variables of age, the multiple medications, and co-morbid conditions, it has been difficult to attribute these disorders of the sleep/wake continuum to the underlying…
