title: Motor cortex excitability in restless legs syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A review of the literature shows that the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a useful neurophysiological tool to investigate the pathophysiology of the restless legs syndrome (RLS). In this study we used TMS to define motor cortical excitability in RLS subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six RLS patients and two healthy control subjects underwent TMS (single and paired) examination using two protocols: (1) the evaluation of motor cortical excitability changes occurring at various times after a repetitive finger movement task; (2) the evaluation of the time course of intracortical motor activity tested with pairs of magnetic stimuli applied at inter-stimulus intervals of 1-6 ms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects affected by RLS do not show the normal fluctuations of motor cortical excitability usually found after a bimanual finger movement task. The intracortical inhibition was reduced in RLS subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results compared with the other studies suggest a modification in the central circuits and suppose a reduction or alteration in the cortical plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Piazzale S. Maria della Misericordia 15, Udine, Italy. annascalise@libero.it
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scalise
authors.forename: Italo Pittaro
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Cadore
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gigli
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005385:Fingers / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*