Hello
Does anyone know if there are indicators on the brain that can be detected with this sort of scan to diagnose RLS? Just wondered what the neurologist might be looking for in my results.
So many knowledgeble people on this site that I thought I could go to my appt armed with information and or questions.
Thanks as always to everyone who listens.
Evidence of Parkinson, MS or Motor Neuron.
No. MRI can be used to detect MS, Parkinsons & Alzheimers but not RLS.
RLS is diagnosed through taking detailed history.
I have MRI every year for my MS and RLS doesn’t cause damage that can be seen on scans.
The cause is unknown but is possibly linked to faulty dopamine receptors or faulty iron absorption.
No. I believe it's because the problem it at the other end. rls is a reflex action, so the brain is not involved.
Why do you say the brain isnt involved... ? RLS is neurological.
Eryl,RLS is a neurological sleep disordr with movement involved. They know which dopamine receptors in the brain are involved, and are researching further. They discovered genes in 2004, 2007, and just last year. The dopamine transport system is the spinal fluid. The issue with RLS is that we have enough dopamine, it is not crossing the blood brain barrier. Many us here have been studying RLS for years, me- 28 years, and have talked to thousands of RLSer's in 28 yrs. So, until the experts and the specialists that I know the best tell us otherwise, RLS is neurological. As said before, an MRI is not going to show anything that is connected to RLS,, only will rule out other things. which is good.
Yep, like you i will take what the experts and specialists say. 
Thank you for sharing this knowledge I really appreciate it. Looks hopeful maybe in the future that with more understanding, a more effective treatment will become available.
The nervous system has two ways to function. The executive, where receptors in the body send messages to the brain and the brain sends signals to the muscles, and the reflex system, where messages are sent to the spinal cord, which sends the control message to the muscles. Reflex actions are things like pulling your hand away when you touch a hot or sharp object which causes pain, blinking when something touches your eyeball, kicking out when a doctor taps you bellow the knee cap.
With rls, no matter how much you use your brain to resist moving your limbs, the reflex action over rides it.
Here is a very interesting article on imaging and RLS.
It covers everything, I think, but in the end, tells us what we already know.
Except that yes, they can 'see' it.
It would seem a bit like over-treatment to me, apart from its obvious value as research.
I read recently that there can be thinning of the hippocampus in rls patients - I think (going from a bad memory here) it was associated with long term dopamine agonist use. I don’t know if this would show up on an mri.
Actually it is not the hippocampus but the somatosensory area of the cortex was 7.5% thinner. And it was observed in patients with severe rls that had been untreated (so not associated with dopamine agonist use as I previously sad - my bad).
Thanks to everyone for their replies, always good to get extra/more info.
Hi,
Actually research just this year has in fact found that people with RLS have a smaller somatosensory cortex compared to people without RLS. I think the difference was about 12 % smaller.
aan.com/PressRoom/Home/Pres...
I wonder if a functional MRI would pick up more than a regular MRI?
I had an MRI scan for my rls but mainly because I told the neurologist that I had tingling down my legs. The only thing the scan showed was that I had a cyst on my kidney ( not related to rls). This was investigated but disappeared on its own.SO the MRI scan showed nothing that is causing my rls.
Incidentally the neurologist told my GP that he could prescribe up to 4mg Ropinerole. Fortunately I’d been reading this site and ignored him. I’m struggling to keep down to 1mg
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