Altered white matter integrity in primary restless legs syndrome patients: diffusion tensor imaging study

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology

Background:

• Prior diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies indicate white matter (WM) alterations in individuals with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).
• The underlying mechanisms contributing to these observed WM changes in RLS remain to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential mechanisms behind the altered brain white matter (WM) integrity in patients diagnosed with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were acquired from 22 RLS patients and 22 age-matched healthy controls.
• Voxel-based analysis compared fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) between groups.
• Correlation analyses were conducted within the RLS cohort.

Main Results:

• RLS subjects exhibited significantly lower FA in the genu of the corpus callosum and frontal WM near the inferior frontal gyrus compared to controls.
• Areas with decreased FA in RLS patients showed elevated AD and RD values, indicating altered diffusion characteristics.
• These findings suggest a loss of axonal integrity and/or myelin sheath.

Conclusions:

• The observed white matter (WM) changes in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) are likely attributable to a reduction in axonal density and myelin.
• This study provides insights into the microstructural basis of neurological alterations in RLS.