ABSTRACT
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition involving an uncontrollable urge to move one’s legs at night, usually accompanied by an uncomfortable and unpleasant sensation of the legs, which worsens with inactivity and improves with movement. The diagnosis is based on the patient’s description of symptoms. The differential diagnosis for RLS and other conditions that may be confused with this problem are listed in Table 1. Of note, the possibility that RLS could have a unique presentation in dementia was implicit within the summary statement of the 2002 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diagnosis and Workshop Conference on RLS (1). The focus of the current review will be on factors associated with RLS in older people, and how RLS might be a component of the behavioral disturbance seen in some patients with dementia.
