Restless Leg Syndrome iron link furthered
09-05-2013
The connection between iron and the disorder Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) has been further confirmed by researchers in America, in what may prove to be a breakthrough in understanding more about the condition. Teams from John Hopkins University and Penn State College of Medicine looked at the post mortem brains of five RLS patients and compared them to those of five non-sufferers. It was found that the RLS patients had a lack of iron in the mid-brain region, indicating an inherent inability to use iron rather than a straight-forward iron deficiency as previously thought.
While not strictly a sleep disorder, RLS sufferers typically experience chronic sleep deprivation if their symptoms worsen at night.
"We may have solved the mystery of why getting rid of patients' urge to move their legs doesn't improve their sleep", said lead researcher Dr. Richard P. Allen from John Hopkins University.
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