Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with cognitive and sleep impairments. The presence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) symptoms may represent a worse disease prognosis for PD individuals. We investigated cognitive functioning and self-reported sleep in early-stage PD individuals with (n = 19) or without (n = 31) probable RBD. Probable RBD was defined as >5 on the REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire. Inhibition, visuospatial cognitive abilities, working memory, sustained visual attention, verbal fluency, and episodic memory were assessed. Sleep impairments were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System questionnaires. Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney U, and independent sample t-tests were employed to assess group differences. Participants with PD and probable RBD performed significantly worse on word reading and switching verbal fluency tasks than PD participants without probable RBD (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in mood, PD severity, or sleep measures between PD individuals with or without probable RBD. Cognitive tasks that involve verbal or switching components may be most impaired in PD individuals with probable RBD. Larger samples are needed to determine whether other cognitive domains and sleep features are significantly associated with RBD in PD.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with sleep disturbance (SD) and sleep-related impairment (SRI). Validation of self-report measures of these problems is needed in PD. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) includes tools that assess these problems (PROMIS-SD and PROMIS-SRI, respectively). Objective: This study aimed to further validate these measures in individuals with PD and matched controls. Methods: Individuals with early-stage PD (n=50) and matched controls (n=48) completed measures of SD including the PROMIS-SD, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). They also completed measures of daytime impairment including the PROMIS-SRI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory 2nd edition, and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39. Internal consistency for the PROMIS measures were assessed using Cronbach’s α coefficient and item-total correlations in the total sample. Convergent and divergent validity of the PROMIS item banks were assessed using Spearman correlations. Results: The PROMIS item banks had excellent internal consistency (α>0.94). Supporting convergent validity, the PROMIS-SD had strong correlations with other measures of SD (ρ>0.70, for PSQI and ISI) and the PROMIS-SRI had moderate to strong correlations with all measures of daytime impairment (ρ=0.41–0.72). Supporting divergent validity within the PD group, the PROMIS-SD correlated more strongly with SRI than with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire total score, a metric of PD related impairment. Conclusion: In middle-aged and older adults, with and without early-stage PD, the PROMIS-SD and PROMIS-SRI are reliable and valid measures of SD and SRI, respectively.

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