A type of sleep disorder that occurs during the rapid eye movement period of sleep (REM) may predict the development of Parkinson's and other neurological disorders as far as 50 years in the future. Symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder include thrashing and kicking and acting out dreams during the rapid eye movement-period of sleep.

The average time between REM sleep behavior disorder and the onset of disease, HealthDay reports, was 25 years. Researchers hope to discover which patients with the disorder will eventually develop a neurological disease so intervention can begin earlier.

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