Dreaming and Brain Disorders

Although we don’t remember a majority of our dreams, we all experience them usually every night. While some dreams are normal and sometimes even fairytale-like, others can seem like never ending nightmares. But for people with sleep behavior disorders, nightmares can be even more intense - both physically and mentally. Some disorders may even be an early warning sign for certain brain conditions, according to new research.
All humans, as well as other mammals and birds, experience a stage of sleeping known as rapid eye movement sleep (REM). As the name suggests, your eyes move in a quick, random motion. During this stage some people suffer from REM sleep disorder, which leads them to act out their dreams through talking, shouting, hitting and other physical motions, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The research discovered that about 80 percent of people who suffer from a REM disorder will go on to develop a neurodegenerative disorder, such as Parkinson's.

Is there a link between dreaming and brain disorders?