| Literature DB >> 16762808 |
Walter Paulus1, Eike D Schomburg.
Abstract
The pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is incompletely understood. L-DOPA, as the precursor of dopamine, as well as dopamine agonists, plays an essential role in the treatment of RLS leading to the assumption of a key role of dopamine function in the pathophysiology of RLS. Periodic limb movements in sleep are a key feature of RLS. They are generated in the spinal cord. Here we review RLS phenomenology on the basis of known dopaminergic influence on spinal control, which has been studied a great deal in recent decades in animals. In particular, we propose that the differential effects of l-DOPA and opioids on early and late flexor reflexes may be linked to the phenomenon of augmentation.Entities:
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Year: 2006 PMID： 16762808 DOI： 10.1016/j.smrv.2006.01.004
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Sleep Med Rev ISSN： 1087-0792 Impact factor: 11.609