The University of Cambridge public health researcher Melanie Sloan undertook a pioneering study that suggests nightmares could be a sign of autoimmune brain problems.
(Photo: Unsplash/Megan te Boekhorst)
The findings shed light on the intricate relationship between dreams and the immune system and show that terrible dreams may be one of the most prevalent and early indicators of a lupus flare-up.
Dreams: A Gateway to Understanding Autoimmune Disorders
Approximately one-third of 676 lupus patients who participated in an online survey stated that their dreams had been disturbed in the year before other symptoms of the condition appeared. These results suggest that nightmares could be a significant marker of approaching autoimmune activity in the brain, in conjunction with anecdotal observations that associate dreams with neurological health.
Dr. Guy Leschziner, a respected neurologist from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London and one of the study's authors, emphasized the importance of the results. He noted that changes in dreaming have long been recognized as potential indicators of mental, physical, and neurological health changes and can sometimes signal the start of the disease.
The study also provides the first evidence that nightmares could also serve as a crucial tool in monitoring severe autoimmune conditions like lupus, offering valuable insights to both patients and clinicians about the potential role of sleep symptoms in predicting relapse.
Dissecting the Link between Dreams and Autoimmune Diseases
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as Lupus, is a chronic autoimmune illness that can affect the brain and other organs. It causes periodic flare-ups marked by fever, exhaustion, hair loss, and joint pain.
Not all lupus patients have neuropsychiatric symptoms during these flare-ups, the subjective character of symptoms, which includes hallucinations and nightmares, makes the diagnosis and therapy highly difficult to those who do.
Unsettling dreams may be linked to the start of autoimmune illnesses, according to recent research. Intense nightmares are frequently reported by patients who go on to acquire Parkinson's disease or dementia years before they are diagnosed, which raises the possibility that neurological health and dream problems are related.
Researchers spoke with lupus patients and physicians in person and through an online survey to learn more about this. The findings showed that people typically reported having vivid and upsetting nightmares right before lupus flares started.
Dreams about falling, being assaulted, getting trapped, or experiencing violence were reported by patients, which may have been a reflection of the emotional upheaval brought on by autoimmune activity.
Early Recognition for Improved Treatment
Understanding the importance of nightmares and other neuropsychiatric symptoms is essential for managing autoimmune illnesses in their early stages of identification. The research highlights the need to integrate these symptoms into clinical evaluations to promptly identify illness episodes, even though they are not part of the conventional diagnostic standards for lupus.
Senior study author Dr. David D'Cruz, a rheumatologist at Guy's Hospital and Kings College London, stressed how crucial it is for medical professionals to talk to lupus patients about dreams and other neuropsychiatric problems. "For many years, I have discussed nightmares with my lupus patients and thought that there was a link with their disease activity," D'Cruz stated. "This research provides evidence of this, and we are strongly encouraging more doctors to ask about nightmares and other neuropsychiatric symptoms."
Individuals with lupus and other systemic autoimmune rheumatic disorders may benefit from early management and better outcomes if nightmares are valuable markers of approaching inflammatory activity in the brain. The study, published in eClinical medicine, emphasizes how important it is for patients and healthcare professionals to be more aware of and able to identify these symptoms.
RELATED ARTICLE: Recent Study Suggests Nightmares Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health
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