Restless Legs Syndrome in a Group of Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by the urge to move the legs associated with peculiar unpleasant sensations during periods of rest and inactivity that are relieved by movement. A few studies analyzed RLS in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheime...

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Published inAmerican journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 165 - 170
Main Authors Talarico, Giuseppina, Canevelli, M., Tosto, G., Vanacore, N., Letteri, F., Prastaro, M., Troili, F., Gasparini, M., Lenzi, G. L., Bruno, G.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2013
Subjects
Age Distribution
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - epidemiology
Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology
Alzheimer Disease - psychology
Apathy - physiology
Cohort Studies
Current Topic in Research
Dopamine - physiology
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Prevalence
Restless Legs Syndrome - epidemiology
Restless Legs Syndrome - physiopathology
Restless Legs Syndrome - psychology
Sex Distribution
sleep disorders
neurodegenerative disease
Alzheimer’s disease
dopaminergic dysfunction
apathy
restless legs syndrome
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Summary:Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by the urge to move the legs associated with peculiar unpleasant sensations during periods of rest and inactivity that are relieved by movement. A few studies analyzed RLS in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and the clinical characteristics of RLS in a cohort of AD patients. Methods: Three hundred and thirty-nine subjects with a diagnosis of AD were recruited. Cognitive, functional, and neuropsychiatric measures were collected at baseline and six-monthly for a 2-years follow-up Results: Fourteen subjects met the RLS criteria. RLS subjects were more frequently male (p:0,006) and younger than AD subject without RLS (p:0,029). MMSE, ADL and IADL were not significantly different. NPI total scores did not differ significantly, however, AD patients with RLS were found to be more apathetic (p:0,001) than AD subjects without RLS. Conclusion: RLS prevalence in our AD cohort was estimated to be about 4%. RLS appeared to be associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as apathy. RLS and apathy might share a common pathophysiological basis represented by a dysfunction of the central dopaminergic system
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ISSN:1533-3175
1938-2731
DOI:10.1177/1533317512470208