DBS in restless legs syndrome: a new therapeutic approach

[thorp]

has anyone any information on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and RLS?

This is the title of a short case study in Sleep Medicine 2020 by Casoni et al

Might it help some of us ?

[RLSLearner]

I have seen a few studies on it. There is a clinic in my home town that does Transcranian magnetic stimulation for depression. I was going to get in contact and see if they have any experience.

Papers-

Deep brain stimulation improves restless legs syndrome in patients with Parkinson

disease. September 11, 2018; 91 (11) Neurology

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Primary Motor Cortex beyond Motor Rehabilitation: A Review of the Current Evidence. Brain Sci. 2022, 12, 761

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Restless Legs Syndrome: Case Report and Scoping Review

May 2023Sleep 46(Supplement_1):A310-A31

[Tankerville]

I have severe RLS (in a letter from my old neurologist to the new one he described me as having the worst case of RLS he has ever seen). A few years ago he asked me my thoughts on DBS saying that many Parkinson patients who had benefitted from DBS also suffered from RLS and that those symptoms had also been greatly improved by the treatment. I was really excited about this and with my total support, I was referred to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford.

What a disappointment and total waste of time. I was more or less dismissed out of hand - there was no way I would be considered for this procedure even if I paid for it myself as there was 'no evidence that it would be beneficial for RLS on it's own'. Well of course there is no evidence because it has never been researched or trialled on the basis of RLS alone. I would happily put myself forward as a guinea pig - it has to start somewhere. The consultation ended with the promise that the matter would still be put before the relevant committee and that they would confirm one way or another. I never heard from them again.

I would love to know if the situation has changed since then as the condition only gets worse.