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Altered eyeblink reflex conditioning in restless legs syndrome patients
Matthew D McEchron1, Danielle N Alexander, Michael E Smith
1Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. mmcechro@uwyo.edu
Sleep Medicine
|February 13, 2010
Summary
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients exhibit impaired eyeblink conditioning, a sensory-motor reflex task. This suggests neurophysiological differences in RLS, potentially aiding diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS) involves leg sensations and movement urges during rest.
- Altered sensory-motor integration is suspected in RLS patients.
- Differential eyeblink conditioning assesses sensory-motor reflex function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sensory-motor reflex alterations in RLS patients using differential eyeblink conditioning.
- To determine if RLS pathophysiology affects conditioned responses.
Main Methods:
- 20 RLS patients and 19 controls underwent a 7-day medication washout.
- Subjects received 120 trials of differential conditioning with auditory stimuli (CS+, CS-) and an airpuff unconditioned stimulus (US).
Main Results:
- Control subjects demonstrated normal differential eyeblink responses.
- RLS patients showed significantly reduced or absent differential responding.
- Post-test data indicated neurophysiological, not symptomatic, interference.
Conclusions:
- Deficits in eyeblink conditioning are linked to RLS pathophysiology.
- Eyeblink conditioning may serve as a diagnostic or therapeutic support tool for RLS.
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