Medical hypotheses
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Chronic pain conditions often "mimic" the symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS) with worse pain in the evening and upon rest, associated with an urge to move and relief upon movement. We propose that too little has been made of these parallels, with pain conditions resembling RLS being dismissed as mimics. ⋯ In particular, central changes associated with sensory and motor symptoms of RLS, neuropathy, and dopamine may also be involved in those predisposed to experience phantom pain that mimics the symptoms of RLS. Ultimately, restless legs syndrome may indeed be a pain syndrome, and warrants further investigation in chronic pain populations.
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In a 1994 Medical Hypotheses paper, it was speculated that high intracranial pressure (ICP) might increase the probability of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). A study of cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) in normal volunteers showed interindividual variations in CSFP. Some normals had what would normally be considered elevated CSFP. ⋯ In the present paper, we raise the question of whether AD could be a cerebral form of glaucoma. Indeed, the linking of glaucoma to mechanisms of AD could reflect the anatomical and functional similarities between the IOP space and the ICP space. Further studies are warranted, however, especially to determine the possible role of high ICP in at least some cases of AD.