According to a study published in the journal eClinical Medicine, children who have frequent nightmares and disturbing dreams may be more likely to experience Parkinson′s disease and cognitive decline (including dementia) as adults.

An elevated risk of dementia and Parkinson′s disease has previously been linked to distressing dreams in middle-aged and older individuals. However, in this study, the researchers revealed that children who had frequent nightmares between the ages of seven and eleven were almost twice as likely to exhibit cognitive decline by the age of 50.

According to experts from the University of Birmingham in the UK, this was the first study to show a link between traumatic nightmares experienced as a child and an increased risk of cognitive decline or Parkinson′s disease. They stated that over the next three decades, the number of people with dementia is expected to quadruple from 50 million to 150 million worldwide, while the number of people with Parkinson′s disease is anticipated to reach 14 million by 2040.

For the study, the team analyzed data from 6,991 kids, of whom 267, or 3.8%, had cognitive impairment or Parkinson′s disease. Children who had frequent unpleasant nightmares had an elevated risk of developing cognitive decline or Parkinson′s disease (85%). 

(Source: https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1055252 )