[Pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome].

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) could be the consequence of sensorimotor dysfunction. Dopaminergic treatment has been successful in RLS, suggesting dopaminergic abnormalities. The specific pathophysiology of idiopathic RLS is not well known but recent studies have raised the hypothesis of diencephalospinal pathway dysfunction. This pathway includes spinal, subcortical and cortical structures. In idiopathic RLS, an implication of A11 neurons has been evoked, but further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis. Brain iron is reduced in RLS. This decrease plays a major role in RLS occurrence. Genetic analyses are necessary to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of RLS. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.