Relationship Between Sensory and Motor Systems in Restless Leg Syndrome

June 30, 2017 updated by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Sensorimotor Gating Studies in Restless Legs Syndrome

This study will explore what occurs between sensory and motor systems in restless legs syndrome (RLS). Patients with RLS have uncomfortable sensations in the legs, usually in the evening or early part of the night. Most patients also have periodic involuntary leg movements. The condition tends to worsen over time, resulting in severe discomfort and sleep disturbances.

Healthy normal volunteers and patients with RLS between 18 and 80 years of age may be eligible for this study. All candidates will be screened with a medical history, physical and neurological evaluations, electroymogram (measure of muscle activity), overnight sleep study, electrocardiogram (ECG, measurement of the electrical activity of the heart), and blood and urine tests. They may also have brain or spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scans and a chest X-ray. Participants must stop taking all medications prohibited by the study for 2 days or more before the study starts and throughout its duration.

Participants will undergo prepulse inhibition tests to assess nervous system function. The participant sits comfortably in a quiet room. Several cables are attached to the face and legs using a special cream that conducts electrical signals through the cables to recording equipment. Nervous system activity is evaluated while the subject is at rest and after sensory stimulation (stimulating the nerves in the legs and face with a very brief electrical current of mild to moderate intensity). At times, the subject receives a short, mild sound stimulation delivered through earphones. The testing session takes 4 to 6 hours.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Background - Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a condition affecting millions of Americans, is characterized by uncomfortable sensory symptoms relived by voluntary or involuntary movements. Objectives -To test our hypothesis that sensorimotor gating is deficient in RLS. Methods - In a controlled proof-of-principle clinical study, sensorimotor gating will be assessed through the use of validated electrophysiological tests of prepulse inhibition, in 17 adult patients with RLS and 17 matched healthy controls. Risks and benefits -Risks involved in this study are minimal, and deemed reasonable in relation to potential benefits. This investigation will lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of RLS.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment

45

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Subjects who meet all of the following inclusion criteria at screening will be eligible to participate in the study:

  1. Male or female subjects aged 18 to 80.
  2. For patients only, diagnosed with primary RLS based on the presence of a characteristic clinical history and the IRLSSG diagnostic criteria.
  3. Normal physical and neurological examination.
  4. Subject is willing to adhere to protocol requirements as evidenced by written, informed consent.
  5. No clinically significant abnormalities on clinical chemistry or hematology examination at the pre-study medical evaluation.
  6. Negative pre-study urine drug screen.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Subjects meeting any of the following exclusion criteria will not be enrolled or will be immediately excluded from the study, as appropriate:

  1. History of any medical condition that can reasonably be expected to compromise scientific integrity of the study;
  2. Patient unwilling or unable to stop their usual mediations for RLS;
  3. Subjects unable or unwilling to discontinue a prohibited concomitant medication
  4. Subjects unwilling to sign an informed consent or to comply with protocol requirements.
  5. Subjects with clinical and/or biological evidence of secondary RLS (e.g. renal failure (end-stage renal disease), iron deficient, anaemia or pregnancy at baseline).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

December 12, 2003

Study Completion

April 14, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 17, 2003

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 17, 2003

First Posted (Estimate)

December 18, 2003

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 30, 2017

Last Verified

April 14, 2009

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 040059
  • 04-N-0059

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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