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The higher prevalence of non-right handers among patients with restless leg syndrome

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Abstract

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common disorder described as an urge to move the legs. Dopamine, the main neuro-transmitter in the pathophysiology of RLS, is likely related to the development of brain laterality and human handedness. We aimed to compare the prevalence of RLS in right and non-right handers. A checklist including Edinburgh questioner for handedness, questions for RLS diagnosis and basic characteristics was filled out by a sample of population. The exclusion criteria included prolonged use of dopaminergic or psychologic drugs and having diseases with similar symptoms to RLS. The frequency of non-right handers in RLS patients was compared with the controls by Chi square test. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. 164 persons were divided into RLS patients (69) and non-RLS controls (95). There was no significant difference between demographic characteristics. The prevalence of non-right handers in RLS patients was significantly more than non-RLS controls (P: 0.03). Our finding regarding the higher prevalence of non-right handers in RLS patients needs more justifications based on neuroscientists’ guides. RLS as a disease in which dopaminergic system involves is highly assumed to be linked with handedness. This is just a hypothesis that impaired modulation of immune system in left handers may be accompanied with lower dopamine levels in RLS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Medicine), Students’ Scientific Research Center (SSRC) of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Italia St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, Iran

    Shadi Ghourchian

  2. Neurology Department, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Shohada Sq, Khoramabad, Lorestan, Iran

    Parviz Bahrami

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  1. Shadi Ghourchian
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  2. Parviz Bahrami
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Correspondence to Shadi Ghourchian.

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Ghourchian, S., Bahrami, P. The higher prevalence of non-right handers among patients with restless leg syndrome. Neurol Sci 35, 1909–1913 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1860-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1860-z

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