PERSISTENCE OF REPETITIVE EEG AROUSALS (K-ALPHA COMPLEXES) IN RLS PATIENTS TREATED WITH L-DOPA

Compared to normal control subjects, patients with primary restless le gs syndrome (RLS) have an increased number of K-complexes, followed by bursts of electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha activity-together these are referred to as K-alpha complexes. In the present study, a large p roportion of K-alpha complexes was found to be temporally associated w ith periodic leg movements in sleep. Because many K-alpha complexes pr ecede the onset of movements, they cannot, be considered secondary to the movements themselves. The persistence of K-alpha complexes after s uppression of leg movements by means of L-DOPA further supports the hy pothesis that these EEG events are a primary phenomenon. The results m ay have clinical implications because a large proportion of RLS patien ts complain of non-restorative-sleep even after treatment with L-DOPA.