Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) using validated sleep assessment scales and questionnaires.
Background: Sleep disturbances are among the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease and have a major impact on quality of life. These disorders include insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, restless legs syndrome (RLS), REM sleep behavior disorder, and sleep fragmentation. Despite their clinical relevance, sleep disorders remain underrecognized and undertreated in routine clinical practice. Epidemiological data from Latin America are particularly limited.
Method: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study including 160 patients with Parkinson’s disease followed in a specialized neurology clinic. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances, including the Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale–2 (PDSS-2), SCOPA-SLEEP, a sleep hygiene questionnaire, and a screening tool for restless legs syndrome. Overall sleep quality was assessed using selected items from PDSS-2 and SCOPA-SLEEP. A
Results: A total of one hundred sixty patients with Parkinson’s disease were included. Most participants were between 60 and 70 years of age and had a disease duration longer than five years. Fifty-five percent of patients reported good subjective sleep quality, whereas 45% experienced some degree of sleep disturbance. Among patients receiving treatment for sleep disorders, benzodiazepines were the most frequently used medications (73%), followed by melatonin (17%), sedative antipsychotics (8%), and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (5%). Despite treatment, many patients continued to report poor sleep quality. Daytime sleepiness and symptoms compatible with restless legs syndrome were also reported.
Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in Parkinson’s disease and frequently persist despite treatment. These findings highlight the need for improved recognition and management of sleep disorders and provide relevant data from Latin America, where such information remains scarce.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
F. San Juan, F. Echeverria, S. Rodriguez, T. Arakaki, N. Garreto. Prevalence and characteristics of sleep disorders in Parkinson’s disease: an Argentine cohort. [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-and-characteristics-of-sleep-disorders-in-parkinsons-disease-an-argentine-cohort/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-and-characteristics-of-sleep-disorders-in-parkinsons-disease-an-argentine-cohort/