Risk Factors And Complications Linked To REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Certain Medications

The precise cause of REM sleep behavior disorder is not known. However, the condition has been associated with withdrawal symptoms from certain substances, or with the use of certain medications. In fact, forty-five percent of cases have been attributed to medications and substances. Some patients might experience REM sleep behavior disorder when they're going through alcohol or sedative withdrawal. This may be because alcohol and sedatives depress the nervous system. When a patient stops depressing their nervous system to sleep, their brain may not go through the correct process to keep them paralyzed during REM sleep. Individuals have also reported REM sleep behavior disorder symptoms when taking tricyclic antidepressants like imipramine. Other medications involved with this include serotonin reuptake inhibitors like sertraline, fluoxetine, or paroxetine. There have been symptoms reported with other kinds of antidepressants as well, like mirtazapine.

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