Cause of restless legs syndrome suggested

By Robert Cervin, May 7th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

An autopsy study has revealed an abnormality in the brains of those with restless legs syndrome.
Little is known of the cause of restless legs syndrome (RLS), a condition where people have a constant urge to move their legs. Many say they experience a hard-to-describe ‘creepy crawly’ feeling in the legs. The condition is worse at night and leads to sleep deprivation.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Penn State College of Medicine have carried out a post-mortem study on the brains of seven people who had RLS and compared them with five normal controls. They found no unique pathological changes, but cells in the mid-brain were short on iron.

Further analysis revealed that these cells, which are similar to those affected by Parkinson’s disease, lack a protein involved in iron uptake. Those affected may not be iron deficient but their brains are not able to use iron. This insight may lead to a better understanding of RLS and maybe even the first treatment for the condition.