Sleep disorders: REM sleep behaviour disorder: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Sleep disorders: REM sleep behaviour disorder

Sample item

A 65-year-old man punches and shouts in his sleep, enacting his dreams and injuring his wife. Polysomnography shows REM sleep without atonia. This disorder predicts later development of:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease or Lewy body dementia

REM sleep behaviour disorder is due to loss of normal REM muscle atonia, and treatment is clonazepam or melatonin along with bedroom safety. Idiopathic RBD often precedes alpha-synucleinopathies by years.

Option by option

  • A. Wilson disease

    Wilson disease is a copper metabolism disorder.

  • B. Multiple sclerosis

    Multiple sclerosis is not predicted by RBD.

  • C. Synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease or Lewy body dementia (correct)

    Correct. RBD is a prodrome of synucleinopathies.

  • D. Huntington disease

    Huntington disease is a trinucleotide repeat disorder not predicted by RBD.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease or Lewy body dementia. REM sleep behaviour disorder is due to loss of normal REM muscle atonia, and treatment is clonazepam or melatonin along with bedroom safety.

Why is "Wilson disease" not the answer?

Wilson disease is a copper metabolism disorder.

Why is "Multiple sclerosis" not the answer?

Multiple sclerosis is not predicted by RBD.

Why is "Huntington disease" not the answer?

Huntington disease is a trinucleotide repeat disorder not predicted by RBD.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sleep disorders: REM sleep behaviour disorder in Psychiatry. Idiopathic RBD often precedes alpha-synucleinopathies by years.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sleep disorders: REM sleep behaviour disorder?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.