Combined brain voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging study in idiopathic restless legs syndrome patients

Abstract

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of abnormalities in the brain of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) using voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Methods: Twenty patients and twenty controls were studied. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) and FSL-VBM software tools. For voxel-wise analysis of DTI, tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and SPM8 were used.

Results: Applying an appropriate threshold of probability, no significant results were found either in comparison or in correlation analyses.

Conclusions: Our data argue against clear structural or microstructural abnormalities in the brain of patients with idiopathic RLS, suggesting a prevalent role of functional or metabolic impairment.