Synonyms
Restless limb syndrome
Definition
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a discomfort in the body (most commonly the legs) that increases when the limb is stationary, is temporarily relieved with movement, and is most commonly seen in the evening.
Current Knowledge
RLS can be associated with iron deficiency, peripheral neuropathy, spinal cord injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson’s disease. There are also some hereditary forms of the syndrome. The symptoms tend to increase over time and may begin to manifest earlier in the day. Correction of any underlying cause may help to reduce or eliminate symptoms.
Cross-References
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences and Readings
Rye, D. B., & Bliwise, D. L. (2004). Movement disorders specific to sleep and nocturnal manifestations of waking movement disorders. In R. L. Watts & W. C. Koller (Eds.), Movement disorders (2nd ed., pp. 855–859). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Hohler, A.D., de Leon, M.P. (2018). Restless Leg Syndrome. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_478
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_478
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-57110-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57111-9
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences