Is REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) hereditary?

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, or RBD, might be influenced by genetics. Research has found that specific genetic variants can be associated with RBD. For example, one study highlights a connection between risk variants at the α-synuclein locus and RBD. Another study points out the association of a non-coding variant, GBA1 rs3115534, with RBD.

• α-synuclein locus: This is a specific area in our genes that has been linked to RBD. People with certain variants in this area might have a higher risk of experiencing RBD.
• GBA1 rs3115534 variant: This is another genetic change that researchers have found to be connected to RBD. It suggests that changes not directly coding for proteins can still affect the likelihood of developing RBD.

Overall, while not everyone with these genetic variants will have RBD, these findings suggest that there is a hereditary aspect to the disorder. This means that if someone in your family has RBD, there might be a higher chance for others in the family to have it too.