Martin Gorges1, Johannes Rosskopf1, Hans-Peter Müller1, Klaas Lindemann1, Magdolna Hornyak2, Jan Kassubek3. 1. Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. 2. Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Neuropsychiatry Centre Erding/München, Erding, Germany. 3. Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: jan.kassubek@uni-ulm.de.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Potential alterations of intrinsic functional connectivity in idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) are to be assumed since RLS is considered a network disorder. Whole-brain-based investigation of intrinsic functional connectivity networks including the sensorimotor systems in patients with RLS was compared with matched healthy controls. METHODS: 'Resting-state' functional MRI (1.5 T) from 26 patients with RLS and 26 matched controls were analyzed using standardized seed-based analysis procedures. The motor/sensorimotor, sensory thalamic, ventral and dorsal attention, basal ganglia-thalamic, cingulate, and brainstem networks were used for voxel-based group comparisons between RLS patients and controls. RESULTS: Significantly increased connectivities were observed in the sensory thalamic, ventral and dorsal attention, basal ganglia-thalamic, and cingulate networks in RLS patients, whereas no differences could be demonstrated for the motor/sensorimotor and the brainstem system. The pattern of functional connectivity alterations was positively correlated with increasing symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormally increased regional BOLD synchronization appears to be a key feature of intrinsic brain architecture in RLS. Alterations in cortical and sub-cortical functional networks support the notion that the underlying pathophysiology of RLS is beyond the sensorimotor and the brainstem system and may be also associated with altered attentional control of sensory inputs.
INTRODUCTION: Potential alterations of intrinsic functional connectivity in idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) are to be assumed since RLS is considered a network disorder. Whole-brain-based investigation of intrinsic functional connectivity networks including the sensorimotor systems in patients with RLS was compared with matched healthy controls. METHODS: 'Resting-state' functional MRI (1.5 T) from 26 patients with RLS and 26 matched controls were analyzed using standardized seed-based analysis procedures. The motor/sensorimotor, sensory thalamic, ventral and dorsal attention, basal ganglia-thalamic, cingulate, and brainstem networks were used for voxel-based group comparisons between RLSpatients and controls. RESULTS: Significantly increased connectivities were observed in the sensory thalamic, ventral and dorsal attention, basal ganglia-thalamic, and cingulate networks in RLSpatients, whereas no differences could be demonstrated for the motor/sensorimotor and the brainstem system. The pattern of functional connectivity alterations was positively correlated with increasing symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormally increased regional BOLD synchronization appears to be a key feature of intrinsic brain architecture in RLS. Alterations in cortical and sub-cortical functional networks support the notion that the underlying pathophysiology of RLS is beyond the sensorimotor and the brainstem system and may be also associated with altered attentional control of sensory inputs.