Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026
09:24
Repeated Measurement of Respiratory Muscle Activity and Ventilation in Mouse Models of Neuromuscular Disease
Published on: April 17, 2017
13.9K
Silent Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Restless Legs Syndrome
Raffaele Ferri1, Filomena I I Cosentino1, Michael Moussouttas2
1Department of Neurology I.C., Oasi Research Institute, Troina (EN), Italy.
Sleep
|April 20, 2016
Summary
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients, especially those with longer disease duration, show increased silent cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). This suggests long-term RLS may be a risk factor for stroke.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Neurology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is increasingly linked to cardiovascular risks, including stroke.
- Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a significant risk factor for clinical stroke.
- The relationship between RLS and subclinical SVD requires further investigation, particularly considering disease duration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate silent cerebral SVD using MRI in RLS patients.
- To assess the impact of RLS duration on SVD.
- To investigate SVD in RLS patients without prior stroke or known risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Prospective recruitment of 53 RLS patients (<10 years), 44 RLS patients (>10 years), and 74 controls.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on all subjects.
- MRI scans were analyzed for SVD area and volume.
Main Results:
- RLS patients exhibited increased SVD area compared to controls (P=0.036).
- Patients with RLS >10 years showed significantly increased SVD area and volume versus controls and RLS <10 years (P<0.0001).
- RLS duration, age, and their interaction were independent predictors of SVD; sex and insomnia were not.
Conclusions:
- RLS duration is a critical factor in assessing cerebrovascular disease risk.
- Long-lasting RLS and associated periodic limb movements may contribute to silent SVD.
- These findings support RLS as a potential risk factor for silent SVD and future clinical stroke.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Restless Leg Syndrome and Night Terrors
750
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurological disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to move the legs due to uncomfortable sensations. These sensations typically occur during periods of rest or inactivity, particularly when lying down or sitting, and can severely disrupt sleep.
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate muscle movement. Imbalances in dopamine levels...
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate muscle movement. Imbalances in dopamine levels...
750
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
2.4K
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
RBD is significantly associated with...
2.4K
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
638
Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
638
01:29Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
761
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is a rare heart muscle disease characterized by impaired ventricular filling due to stiffened ventricular walls, leading to significant diastolic dysfunction.EtiologyRestrictive cardiomyopathy can arise from both inherited and acquired diseases, many of which are systemic. It is categorized into four main types: infiltrative, storage, non-infiltrative, and endomyocardial diseases.Infiltrative diseases, such as amyloidosis, lead to RCM by depositing amyloid...
761
01:16Vascular Spasm
4.7K
The vascular phase, also known as vasospasm, is the initial stage of hemostasis, crucial for preventing excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. After a vessel is cut, nerves in the damaged area trigger pain and other sensory impulses. Simultaneously, the smooth muscles in the vessel wall contract, resulting in a vascular spasm. This contraction reduces the vessel's diameter at the injury site, slowing or stopping blood loss through the vessel wall. Vascular spasms typically last...
4.7K
01:28Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants
3.3K
Skeletal muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that can reduce muscle stiffness and induce temporary paralysis to relieve pain. These agents can act centrally to reduce muscle tone or spasms in painful conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or spinal injuries; they are called antispasmodics or spasmolytics.
Peripherally acting skeletal muscle relaxants interfere with the neurotransmission at the neuromuscular end plate to induce paralysis during...
Peripherally acting skeletal muscle relaxants interfere with the neurotransmission at the neuromuscular end plate to induce paralysis during...
3.3K