Sleep medicine
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Altered brain iron homeostasis with regional iron deficiency has been previously reported in several studies of restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients. Inconsistencies still exist, however, in the reported iron changes in different brain regions and different RLS phenotypes. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in brain iron concentrations between RLS patients and healthy controls and their relation to severity of disease and periodic limb movement during sleep (PLMS). ⋯ Using quantitative magnetic susceptibility as an in vivo indicator of brain iron content, the present study supports the general hypothesis of brain iron deficiency in RLS and indicates its possible link to PLMS.