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Restless legs syndrome (RLS), according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, is a sleep related movement disorder that involves an irresistible urge to move the legs at night. It affects five percent to 10 percent of adults; in children the percentage is unknown.
A new study, published in PLoS Genetics, shows that RLS may be genetic. In the study, 922 people with the genes that are linked to RLS were compared to 1,526 healthy people. Seventy-six potential gene candidates were found. The genes were then replicated in 3,935 people with RLS and 5,754 healthy people.
By doing this the results were narrowed down to six genetic regions that are connected with an increased risk of RLS. There were four mutations. Two have already been reported on; however, two of them are new.
TOX3, one of the newly identified regions, is used by the brain to regulate activity. Earlier studies have shown that TOX3 protein protects brain cells from cell death. However, the connection between TOX3 and RLS is not clear.
Juliane Winklemann, a researcher at the Institute of Human Genetics in Munich, Germany, says that the findings of the study will help with creating new treatments for RLS. It will also provide more insight into the cause RLS.
Picture by spentYouth
A recent study investigated the prevalence of restless legs syndrome.
The study involved patients from 312 primary-care practices in Germany. A total of 16,543 people participated.
Results show that leg problems were common. About 47 percent of people reported having “unpleasant sensations in the legs.”
Nearly 11 percent of participants were diagnosed with RLS. Fifty-three percent of these people had contacted their doctor in the past to discuss their leg problems. But only 20 percent had received the correct diagnosis of RLS.
Another common cause of unpleasant leg sensations was osteoarthritis. Other causes were disc lesion, varicose veins and leg cramps.
RLS is classified as a sleep-related movement disorder. It involves an intense urge to move the legs. And it often involves other burning, prickly, itching or tingling sensations in the legs.
These symptoms begin or worsen during periods of rest or inactivity. And the sensations worsen or only occur in the evening or at night. Partial or total relief occurs by moving the legs, stretching or walking.
RLS can have a severe effect on your sleep. It may prevent you from falling asleep. It also may keep you from returning to sleep if you wake up during the night.Read more about RLS. Learn about the genetics of RLS on SleepEducation.com.
Get help for RLS at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.Image by jamelah e.
A new study examined the frequency of impulse control disorders in people being treated for restless legs syndrome. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.
The study involved 100 people with RLS who were seen at the Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic. All of them were being treated or had been treated with “dopaminergic” drugs.
These drugs stimulate the dopamine receptors in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter. It is believed that RLS may involve a dysfunction in the brain’s dopamine system.
The study group completed questionnaires about impulse control disorders. Phone interviews also were conducted.
They were compared with two control groups. One group consisted of 52 people with RLS who had never been treated with a dopaminergic drug. The other group had 275 people with obstructive sleep apnea who did not have RLS.
Results show that impulse control disorders occurred in 17 percent of people with RLS who were treated with dopaminergic drugs. They occurred in eight percent of the RLS control group and six percent of the OSA control group.
Nine percent of the RLS treatment group reported compulsive shopping. Five percent reported pathologic gambling.
Seven percent reported “punding.” This involves purposeless, repetitive actions. Examples include sorting objects and excessive grooming or cleaning.
These rates were significantly higher than in people with OSA. The rate of compulsive shopping was higher than in the RLS control group.
People being treated for RLS were most likely to have impulse control disorders while taking pramipexole (Mirapex). Some RLS patients also struggled with impulse control while taking ropinirole (Requip).
Eight people stopped taking a medication due to an impulse control disorder. Within several weeks the problem ended or improved in all of them.
The authors noted that dopamine plays a role in the brain’s “reward system.” In some people dopaminergic drugs may overstimulate brain areas involved in this system.
They added that doctors treating people with RLS should monitor them for symptoms of an impulse control disorder. These disorders can have devastating effects.
In May 2008 the FDA approved the first generic versions of ropinirole for RLS. Learn more about RLS.
A new study shows that older men with restless legs syndrome may be more likely to have erectile dysfunction. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.
The study involved 23,119 men who were health professionals. They had an average age of 69 years.
Results show that men who reported having RLS symptoms 15 times or more per month were 78 percent more likely to have erectile dysfunction. They had a “poor or very poor” ability to have and maintain an erection for sexual intercourse.
About four percent of participants had RLS. Fifty-three percent of men with RLS reported having erectile dysfunction.
The authors suggested that the two disorders may share common mechanisms. They suspect that both disorders may involve low levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter.
They also noted that the association between RLS and erectile dysfunction could be related in part to other sleep disorders that co-occur with RLS. For example obstructive sleep apnea may decrease circulating testosterone levels.
The NIDDK reports that erectile dysfunction often is caused by a disease or surgery. It also can be a side effect of a medication.
RLS involves an intense urge to move the legs. The intensity of this urge increases at night and as you lie or sit still. It is relieved only by walking or moving the legs.RLS often involves other burning, prickly, itching or tingling sensations in the legs. Symptoms of RLS tend to become more intense and last longer over time.RLS can have a severe effect on your sleep. It may prevent you from falling asleep. It also may keep you from returning to sleep if you wake up during the night.Read more about RLS. Learn about the genetics of RLS on SleepEducation.com.
A new study evaluated daytime sleepiness in people with epilepsy.The study involved 83 people who have epilepsy. They were compared with 80 healthy controls. Participants completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and an overnight sleep study.
Results show that people with epilepsy had a much higher level of daytime sleepiness than controls. They also spent less time in the stages of deep, slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. These changes were unrelated to the use of antiepileptic medications.
Epilepsy is a condition that involves recurrent seizures. A seizure is a temporary disturbance in brain function. It occurs when groups of nerve cells in the brain produce abnormal and excessive electrical impulses.
The AASM reports that stress and sleep deprivation are two factors that may trigger seizures. Some types of epilepsy tend to occur only or mainly during sleep. This may cause severe sleep disruption. As a result poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness may occur.Sleep disorders also may worsen seizures and complicate their treatment. A study in the journal Sleep found that daytime sleepiness in people with epilepsy may be related to obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. Treating OSA with CPAP therapy may improve seizure control.
The CDC estimates that more than two million people in the U.S. have epilepsy. New cases are most common among children and older adults.
Conditions that may lead to epilepsy include oxygen deprivation and stroke. But a specific underlying cause is unidentified in about two-thirds of cases.
A recent journal article provided an overview of sleep and epilepsy. Learn more about sleep disorders at Sleep Education.com.
A new study examined the relationship between restless legs syndrome and headaches.
The study involved 1,041 people. They were all patients at a headache clinic in Taiwan.
More than 700 of them were suffering from migraine headaches. More than 200 had tension headaches. Fifty-one people had cluster headaches.
Results show that RLS was present in 11 percent of people with migraines. RLS occurred in 4.6 percent of people with tension headaches. It occurred in only two percent of people with cluster headaches.
People with both migraines and RLS had higher rates of other problems such as neck pain, tinnitus, dizziness and vertigo. They also had higher scores on measures of disability, and anxiety and depression.
Sleep quality also was worse in migraine patients with RLS. The frequency of RLS increased as the number of migraine symptoms increased.
The authors suggested that RLS and migraines may share an underlying mechanism.
RLS involves a strong, almost irresistible urge to move your legs. This urge gets worse at night and eases in the morning.
Often RLS also involves an uncomfortable feeling in the legs. It might be a burning, prickling, itching or tingling sensation.
Women are more likely than men to have RLS. The NINDS reports that migraines also affect adult women three times more often than men.
About 12 percent of people in the U.S. have migraines. These headaches involve throbbing and pulsating pain. Untreated migraine attacks last from four to 72 hours.
Migraines occur most often in the morning. Many factors can trigger the headache process. These include too much or not enough sleep, and caffeine withdrawal.
Earlier this year the Sleep Education Blog reported that many people with obstructive sleep apnea have morning headaches. Another study showed that there may be a link between headaches, naps and insomnia.
A small study reports that celiac disease is a possible cause of low iron levels in some people who have restless legs syndrome.
The study involved four people with RLS and low iron stores in the body. They also tested positive for celiac disease.
Results show that a gluten-free diet reduced RLS symptoms in all four people. Two of the people were able to stop taking their RLS medication; the other two responded without any medication.
The authors conclude that treating celiac disease is likely to improve RLS symptoms in some people.
The NIDDK reports that celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine; it interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.
People who have celiac disease are unable to tolerate gluten; this is a protein in wheat, rye and barley. It is found mainly in foods such as bread, pasta and cereal.
More than two million people in the U.S. have celiac disease. The only treatment is a gluten-free diet.
According to the AASM, RLS is a common sleep disorder that produces an intense urge to move the legs. The intensity of this urge increases at night and as you lie or sit still. It is relieved only by walking or moving the legs.
RLS often involves other burning, prickly, itching or tingling sensations deep in the legs. The RLS sensations can make it very hard for you to fall asleep. Symptoms of RLS tend to become more intense and last longer over time.
Other conditions that produce low iron levels increase the risk of RLS. Treatment options for RLS include exercise, medications and iron treatment.
In 2008 the FDA approved the first generic versions of Requip (ropinirole hydrochloride); this drug is approved for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
Learn how research is cracking the genetic code for RLS on SleepEducation.com.Get help for RLS at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.
A recent report provides an unusual look at restless legs syndrome. The report describes an amputee who developed RLS in his “phantom” leg.
The 54-year-old man had his left leg amputated 22 years ago. He developed RLS in his remaining leg. Episodes of RLS also occurred to the leg that had been amputated.
Treatment with medication improved his symptoms. Movement of his leg and “phantom movement” of the amputated leg also provided relief.
The authors conclude that this case provides support for the important role of central nervous system dysfunction in the development of RLS.
The drugs most commonly used to treat RLS are “dopamine agonists” such as pramipexole (Mirapex) or ropinirole (Requip). Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. It acts within the brain to help regulate movement.
A 2005 study found that phantom pain often occurs after the amputation of a limb. The study involved 914 people who had a limb amputated. Eighty percent reported experiencing phantom pain in the previous four weeks.
Phantom pain also is a long-term problem. A 2008 study reported that phantom pain and phantom sensation often occur 12 months or more after amputation.Learn about the genetics of RLS on SleepEducation.com.
Every mom deserves a good night of sleep for Mother’s Day. But good sleep can be especially hard to come by for women with restless legs syndrome.
RLS involves a strong, almost irresistible urge to move your legs. This urge gets worse at night and eases in the morning. The need to move your legs increases when you lie or sit still. Temporary relief can be found by walking or moving the legs.
Often RLS also involves an uncomfortable feeling in the legs. It may be hard to describe what this feels like. It might be a burning, prickling, itching or tingling sensation.
RLS can have a severe effect on your sleep. It may prevent you from falling asleep. It also may keep you from returning to sleep if you wake up during the night.
Women are more likely than men to have RLS. It also is common during pregnancy.
There are many drugs that can help treat RLS. Mirapex and Requip are both FDA-approved for RLS. Reuters reported recently that Lyrica also may be a helpful treatment for RLS.
Last week the Dallas Morning News shared one woman’s story of what it’s like to suffer from RLS. “It's as if everything from the waist down wants to dance when everything from the waist up wants to sleep,” she says.You can get help for RLS from an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.
Over the years research has shown a clear link between obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. USA Today reports that a new study from Harvard also links obesity to restless legs syndrome.
The large study involved 65,554 women and 23,119 men. Results show that 6.4 percent of the women and 4.1 percent of the men had RLS.
The risk for RLS was increased by 42 percent in obese people. Those with the largest waist sizes had a risk that was increased by 60 percent. But the study was unable to determine if obesity causes RLS.
RLS may be caused by low iron levels, pregnancy, a nerve disorder, kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It also is more common in people with type 2 diabetes. Pregnant women and people with arthritis or diabetes were excluded from this study.
RLS involves an intense urge to move the legs. The intensity of this urge increases at night and as you lie or sit still. It is relieved only by walking or moving the legs.
RLS often involves other burning, prickly, itching or tingling sensations deep in the legs. Symptoms of RLS tend to become more intense and last longer over time.
Genetics also appears to play a role in RLS. More than half of people with RLS report a pattern of the sleep disorder in their families.Learn more about how research is cracking the genetic code for RLS at SleepEducation.com.
A new study in the journal Sleep links restless legs syndrome in pregnant women to the hormone estradiol.
Results show that in the last trimester, pregnant women with RLS have much higher levels of estradiol than healthy controls. Estradiol is an estrogenic steroid hormone.
RLS is more common in women than in men. Symptoms often appear for the first time during pregnancy. These symptoms tend to worsen during pregnancy. Then they may improve or even disappear after delivery. The risk of developing RLS increases gradually with each pregnancy.
RLS is a sleep-related movement disorder. It involves an almost irresistible urge to move the legs at night. This urge tends to occur along with unusual feelings or sensations deep in the legs. These uncomfortable sensations often are described as a burning, tingling, prickling or jittery feeling.
RLS can severely disturb a person’s ability to sleep. Eighty percent to 90 percent of people with RLS also have periodic limb movements during sleep. These are involuntary jerking or twitching movements of the feet or legs.
Disturbed sleep is common during pregnancy. In addition to RLS, pregnant women may experience problems such as snoring and leg cramps.
Learn more about sleep and pregnancy here.
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