Study Finds Genetics Could Be Linked with Restless Leg Syndrome
Hemera Technologies/Thinkstock(MUNICH, Germany) -- Restless leg syndrome is a condition characterized by uncomfortable sensations and the urge to move in the legs, mostly when in resting situations such as lying down to sleep.
By screening for gene variations between almost 5,000 patients with restless leg syndrome and over 7,000 healthy people, the authors of a German study published in PLoS Genetics identified two genetic variants that increased the risk of restless leg syndrome, one by 23 percent and the other by 35 percent.
The authors, whose study was conducted at Technische Universität München in Munich, hope that identification of these genes will provide a good starting point for more thorough research into the causes of restless leg syndrome.
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