article_snippet.sent: If you get a neurodegenerative disorder and live long enough, you will almost certainly get Parkinson's disease or a condition similar to it
article_snippet.sent: As part of the study, Professor Professor Howell and Professor Howell colleagues reviewed 500 studies published between 1986 and 2014 that explored the link between RBD and Parkinson's.
article_snippet.sent: Parkinson's disease, a condition in which part of the brain becomes progressively damaged, is characterised by a tremor, slow movement and stiff and inflexible muscles.
article_snippet.sent: It is caused by the breakdown of certain proteins in the brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical that produces pleasurable feelings in response to rewarding activities.
article_snippet.sent: It could be that RBD results from the early stages of the breakdown of the proteins in the brain cells, meaning it could be a useful warning sign of Parkinson's disease, Professor Howell said.
article_snippet.sent: However, not everyone who develops Parkinson's will have RBD first.
article_snippet.sent: Nevertheless, the findings could help doctors find a way to catch Parkinson's early and treat Parkinson's disease while it is in it early stages, Professor Howell Professor Howell added.
article_snippet.sent: Parkinson's disease is caused by the breakdown of proteins in brain cells, meaning that part of the brain cannot work (pictured in red).
article_snippet.sent: RBD could be an early warning sign of Parkinson's disease, researchers said .