title: The higher prevalence of non-right handers among patients with restless leg syndrome.
abstract: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common disorder described as an urge to move the legs. Dopamine, the main neuro-transmitter in the pathophysiology of RLS, is likely related to the development of brain laterality and human handedness. We aimed to compare the prevalence of RLS in right and non-right handers. A checklist including Edinburgh questioner for handedness, questions for RLS diagnosis and basic characteristics was filled out by a sample of population. The exclusion criteria included prolonged use of dopaminergic or psychologic drugs and having diseases with similar symptoms to RLS. The frequency of non-right handers in RLS patients was compared with the controls by Chi square test. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. 164 persons were divided into RLS patients (69) and non-RLS controls (95). There was no significant difference between demographic characteristics. The prevalence of non-right handers in RLS patients was significantly more than non-RLS controls (P: 0.03). Our finding regarding the higher prevalence of non-right handers in RLS patients needs more justifications based on neuroscientists' guides. RLS as a disease in which dopaminergic system involves is highly assumed to be linked with handedness. This is just a hypothesis that impaired modulation of immune system in left handers may be accompanied with lower dopamine levels in RLS.
authors.affiliation: Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Medicine), Students' Scientific Research Center (SSRC) of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Italia St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, Iran, shadighurchian@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghourchian
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bahrami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult