Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Published on: September 20, 2024
Restless legs syndrome in paediatric patients with epilepsy
A Pérez-Villena1, V Soto-Insuga2, E Martínez-Cayuelas3
1Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
Introduction:
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition with defined clinical criteria. The prevalence of RLS in children is around 2%-4%; as patients approach adulthood, prevalence increases. The prevalence of RLS in paediatric patients with epilepsy is unknown.
Material And Methods:
Four Madrid hospitals participated in the study (Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Hospital Universitario Villalba, and Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía). The researchers developed a prospective observational study of a cohort of patients with epilepsy under follow-up at paediatric neurology consultations. The data were collected in the department of paediatric neurology. The data collection schedule was established between December 2020 and March 2023.
Results:
Data were obtained from 117 patients (56% male). The age range was from 4 to 17 years (mean age, 10.3 years). Twenty patients (17.1%) met criteria for RLS, 5 (4.3%) met clinical criteria for possible RLS, and 39 (33.9%) reported insomnia. Sleep onset insomnia was present in 21 patients (18.1%), sleep maintenance insomnia in 8 patients (6.9%), and both types in 6 (5.2%). Insomnia was associated with RLS (P = .041) CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, we observed a higher percentage of RLS among paediatric patients with epilepsy than in the general paediatric population. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.
Related Concept Videos
Restless Leg Syndrome and Night Terrors
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...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
Epilepsy ll: Types
Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...

