New treatments could be round the corner for patients with severe sleep disorders such as teeth grinding, and people who act out their dreams.
Scientists have found the two chemical 'controllers' which prevent bodies moving in sleep.
It could lead to restful nights for the thousands of people who move while they sleep - and even for the partners who they kick.
Sweet dreams? New treatments could be round the corner for patients with severe sleep disorders such as teeth grinding, and people who act out their dreams
In rat experiments, scientists can now control whether the animals move or not during sleep.
The finding could end the suffering of people with debilitating disorders such as narcolepsy.
The finding could be especially helpful for those with REM sleep disorder, a disease that causes people to act out their dreams.
This can cause serious injuries to patients and others around them. It is also often an early indicator of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s.
‘The study’s findings are relevant to anyone who has ever watched a sleeping pet twitch, gotten kicked by a bed partner, or has known someone with the sleep disorder narcolepsy,’ said Dennis J. McGinty, at the University of California, Los Angeles.
‘By identifying the neurotransmitters and receptors involved in sleep-related paralysis, this study points us to possible molecular targets for developing treatments for sleep-related motor disorders, which can often be debilitating,’ he said.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2172605/Scientists-stop-people-tossing-turning--finding-offer-cure-teeth-grinding-sleep.html#ixzz20Qc2wrwG
