Restless legs syndrome and central nervous system gamma-aminobutyric acid: preliminary associations with periodic limb movements in sleep and restless leg syndrome symptom severity.

Background: Previous research has demonstrated abnormalities in glutamate and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) in the thalamus in individuals with restless legs syndrome (RLS) compared with healthy matched controls. However, levels of these transmitters in other RLS-related brain areas and levels of the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have not been assessed.

Methods: This study examined GABA, glutamate, and NAA levels in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), thalamus and cerebellum with the use of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) at 4 tesla (4 T) and Megapress difference-editing in 18 subjects with RLS and a matched control group without RLS.