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Altered Sensory Processing in Restless Legs Syndrome: Associations With Disease Severity
Özgül Ocak1, Erkan Melih Şahin2
1Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye.
Brain and Behavior
|July 9, 2026
Summary
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) patients show altered sensory processing, with higher sensitivity and avoidance linked to worse symptoms. Understanding these sensory patterns is key for better RLS management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is recognized as a complex sensory-motor disorder.
- While motor symptoms are known, sensory processing in RLS is under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate altered sensory processing in RLS patients.
- To investigate the relationship between sensory processing, RLS severity, and duration.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 81 RLS patients.
- Sensory processing assessed using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP).
- RLS severity measured by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLS).
Main Results:
- RLS patients had higher sensory sensitivity, avoidance, and low registration; lower sensory seeking.
- Sensory avoidance correlated with RLS severity (r=0.22) and duration (r=0.23).
- Females scored higher in low registration.
Conclusions:
- Altered sensory processing is a core feature of the RLS clinical phenotype.
- Sensory avoidance links to RLS severity, offering clinical insights.
- Viewing RLS as a sensory-motor syndrome aids personalized management.
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