Periodic leg movements during sleep and cerebral hemodynamic changes detected by NIRS.

OBJECTIVE

Periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) have been shown to be associated with changes in autonomic and hemispheric activities. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) assesses hemodynamic changes linked to hemispheric/cortical activity. We applied NIRS to test whether cerebral hemodynamic alterations accompany PLMS.

METHODS

Three PLMS patients underwent nocturnal polysomnography coupled with cerebral NIRS. EEG correlates of PLMS were scored and NIRS data were analysed for the identification of correspondent hemodynamic changes.

RESULTS

PLMS were constantly associated with cerebral hemodynamic fluctuations that showed greater amplitude when associated to changes in EEG and were present also in absence of any visually detectable arousal or A phase in the EEG.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study documenting cerebral hemodynamic changes linked to PLMS.

SIGNIFICANCE

The clinical relevance of these observations remains to be determined.