title: Combined brain voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging study in idiopathic restless legs syndrome patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of abnormalities in the brain of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) using voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients and twenty controls were studied. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) and FSL-VBM software tools. For voxel-wise analysis of DTI, tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and SPM8 were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Applying an appropriate threshold of probability, no significant results were found either in comparison or in correlation analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data argue against clear structural or microstructural abnormalities in the brain of patients with idiopathic RLS, suggesting a prevalent role of functional or metabolic impairment.
authors.affiliation: Functional MR Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Aging and Nephrology, University of Bologna Institute of Neurological Sciences, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manners
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vetrugno
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonon
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malucelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plazzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Provini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montagna
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lodi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*