Journal article
Genetic associations between post-traumatic stress disorder and REM-sleep behavior disorder
NPJ Parkinson's Disease, Vol.12(1), 190
05/21/2026
DOI: 10.1038/s41531-026-01397-6
PMID: 42168223
Abstract
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.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Genetic associations between post-traumatic stress disorder and REM-sleep behavior disorder
- Creators
- Morvarid Ghamgosar Shahkhali - McGill UniversityLang Liu - McGill UniversityMohammad H Ghamgosar Shahkhali - Department of Computer Engineering, Ahrar Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Rasht, IranEric Yu - McGill UniversityFarnaz Asayesh - McGill UniversityJamil Ahmad - McGill UniversityMeron Teferra - McGill UniversityIsabelle Arnulf - Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de ParisPauline Dodet - Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de ParisYo-El Ju - Washington University in St. Louis School of MedicineMichele T M Hu - University of OxfordJacques Y Montplaisir - Canadian Sleep & Circadian NetworkJean-François Gagnon - Canadian Sleep & Circadian NetworkAlex Desautels - Canadian Sleep & Circadian NetworkAbubaker Ibrahim - Innsbruck Medical UniversityAmbra Stefani - Innsbruck Medical UniversityBirgit Högl - Innsbruck Medical UniversityMerve Aktan-Süzgün - Innsbruck Medical UniversityAlex Iranzo - Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaMónica Serradell - Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaAngelica Montini - Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaGerard Maya - Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaCarles Gaig - Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaGian Luigi Gigli - University of UdineMariarosaria Valente - University of UdineFrancesco Janes - University of UdineAndrea Bernardini - University of UdineYves Dauvilliers - Université de MontpellierKarel Sonka - Charles UniversityDavid Kemlink - Charles UniversityPetr Dusek - Charles UniversityMichael Sommerauer - University Hospital BonnGültekin Tamgüney - Forschungszentrum JülichMichela Figorilli - University of CagliariMonica Puligheddu - University of CagliariValerie Cochen De Cock - EuroMov Digital Health in MotionWolfgang Oertel - Philipps University of MarburgAnnette Janzen - Philipps University of MarburgElena Antelmi - University of VeronaBrit Mollenhauer - Paracelsus Elena Klinik KasselFriederike Sixel-Doring - Philipps University of MarburgMichele Terzaghi - University of PaviaGiuseppe Fiamingo - Canadian Sleep & Circadian NetworkMatej Skorvanek - University of Pavol Jozef ŠafárikKristina Kulcsarova - University of Pavol Jozef ŠafárikBeatriz Abril - Université de NîmesLuigi Ferini-Strambi - Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityJitka Bušková - Charles UniversityBeatrice Orso - University of GenoaPietro Mattioli - Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoDario Arnaldi - Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoFemke Dijkstra - Antwerp University HospitalMineke Viaene - Department of Neurology, St. Dimpna Regional Hospital, Geel, BelgiumBradley F Boeve - Mayo Clinic in ArizonaOwen A Ross - Mayo Clinic in FloridaGuy A Rouleau - McGill UniversityLee E Neilson - Oregon Health & Science UniversityJonathan E Elliott - VA Portland Health Care SystemMiranda M Lim - Oregon Health & Science UniversityRonald B Postuma - Canadian Sleep & Circadian NetworkZiv Gan-Or - McGill University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- NPJ Parkinson's Disease, Vol.12(1), 190
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41531-026-01397-6
- PMID
- 42168223
- NLM abbreviation
- NPJ Parkinsons Dis
- ISSN
- 2373-8057
- eISSN
- 2373-8057
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Grant note
- Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation Consortium canadien en neurodgnrescence associe au vieillissement National Institute on Aging
This study was financially supported through grants from the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Additionally, the G-Can (GBA1-Canada) Initiative, an open-science collaborative initiative aimed at addressing GBA1 mutation-based Parkinson's disease, has made contributions to this research. G-Can is supported by The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, Silverstein Foundation, and J. Sebastian van Berkom and Ghislaine Saucier. This work was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (CARD), within the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (1ZIAAG000546) as well as NIH NIA grants R34 AG056639, U19 AG071754, P50 AG016574, P30 AG062677 and VA RRD RX004822. M. Skorvanek and K.K. received funding from the Slovak Research and Development Agency under contract no. APVV-22-0279, and the EU Renewal and Resilience Plan "Large projects for excellent researchers" under grant No. 09I03-03-V03-00007. The iRBD cohort study at First Medical Faculty (Prague, Czechia) is supported by the Czech Health Research Council (grant NU21-04-00535) and the National Institute for Neurological Research (Project No. LX22NPO5107), funded by the European Union-Next Generation EU. J.-F.G. holds a Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Decline in Pathological Aging. We acknowledge the contributions of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Working Group (PGC-PTSD) for support with data sharing. Samples from the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD), which receives government support under a cooperative agreement grant (U24 AG021886) awarded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), were used in this study. This research used the NeuroHub infrastructure and was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, awarded through the Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives initiative at McGill University, Calcul Quebec and Compute Canada. This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource under Application Number 45551. The UKB cohort was accessed using Neurohub (https://www.mcgill.ca/hbhl/neurohub). Z.G-O. is supported by the Fonds de recherche du Quebec-Sante (FRQS) Chercheurs-boursiers award and is a William Dawson Scholar. M.G.S. is supported by a graduate student award, the Jeanne Timmins Costello Award.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 05/21/2026
- Academic Unit
- Neurology
- Record Identifier
- 9985164726802771
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