Global infodemiological trends in Parkinson’s disease-associated sleep disorders: Long-term digital impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize global and regional information-seeking patterns for common Parkinson’s disease (PD)-related sleep disorders (SDs) and to assess whether the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic caused a permanent structural change in these patterns using interrupted time series analysis.

Materials and methods: In this retrospective, multi-country infodemiological study, Google Trends monthly relative search volume data for 10 PD-related SDs was analyzed across nine countries and globally between 2015 and 2025. Relative search volumes were deseasonalized, and prepandemic (March 1, 2015–February 29, 2020) and postpandemic (March 1, 2020–February 28, 2025) periods were compared using a t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate, and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by bootstrap. Data extraction used Python pytrends. Interrupted time series regression modeled level (β2) and slope (β3) changes, with Newey-West corrections for autocorrelation when required.

Results: Globally, insomnia relative search volume increased from 42.5 ± 5.2 to 68.2 ± 8.4 (p < 0.001). Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) searches rose by 52.1% (mean difference: +6.3; 95% confidence interval, 4.8-7.9). Interrupted time series showed immediate level increases for insomnia (β2 = +12.4, p < 0.001) and excessive daytime sleepiness (β2 = +4.2, p = 0.021), and a significant positive slope acceleration in RBD (β3 = +0.08, p = 0.045). Türkiye demonstrated an accelerated restless leg syndrome slope (β3 = +0.45, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic produced a lasting digital phenotypic shift in PD-related SDs, with notable global increases in insomnia and RBD interest, and region-specific rises, such as restless leg syndrome in Türkiye. Infodemiology offers valuable epidemiological surveillance insights to guide clinical and public health responses.

Cite this article as: Demir Ünal E, Çomoğlu SS. Global infodemiological trends in Parkinson’s disease-associated sleep disorders: Long-term digital impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Turk J Neurol 2026;32(1):75-83. https://doi.org/10.55697/tnd.2026.611.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

E.D.Ü., S.S.Ç.: Idea/concept, control/supervision, literature review, critical review; E.D.Ü.: Design, data collection and/or processing, analysis and/or interpretation, writing the article, references and fundings, materials.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/ or publication of this article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

The authors declare that artificial intelligence (AI) tools were not used, or were used solely for language editing, and had no role in data analysis, interpretation, or the formulation of conclusions. All scientific content, data interpretation, and conclusions are the sole responsibility of the authors. The authors further confirm that AI tools were not used to generate, fabricate, or ‘hallucinate’ references, and that all references have been carefully verified for accuracy.