TY - JOUR
T1 - Restless legs syndrome shows increased silent postmortem cerebral microvascular disease with gliosis
AU - Walters, Arthur S.
AU - Paueksakon, Paisit
AU - Adler, Charles H.
AU - Moussouttas, Michael
AU - Weinstock, Leonard B.
AU - Spruyt, Karen
AU - Bagai, Kanika
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) have increased silent microvascular disease by magnetic resonance imaging. However, there has been no previous autopsy confirmation of these magnetic resonance imaging findings. RLS is also frequently associated with inflammatory and immunologically mediated medical disorders. The postmortem cortex in patients with RLS was therefore evaluated for evidence of microvascular and immunological changes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten microvascular injury samples of precentral gyrus in 5 patients with RLS (3 men, 2 women; mean age, 81 years) and 9 controls (2 men, 7 women; mean age, 90 years) were studied by hematoxylin and eosin stains in a blinded fashion. None of the subjects had a history of stroke or neurologic insults. In a similar manner, the following immunohisto-chemistry stains were performed: (1) glial fibrillary acidic protein (representing gliosis, reactive change of glial cells in response to damage); (2) CD3 (a T-cell marker); (3) CD19 (a B-cell marker); (4) CD68 (a macrophage marker); and (5) CD117 (a mast cell marker). Patients with RLS had significantly greater silent microvascular disease (P=0.015) and gliosis (P=0.003). T cells were increased in RLS compared with controls (P=0.009) and tended to colocalize with microvascular disease (P=0.003). Other markers did not differ. There was no correlation between microvascular lesion load and RLS severity or duration. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RLS had statistically significantly more silent cerebral microvascular disease and gliosis than controls compatible with previous magnetic resonance imaging studies and with studies showing a link between RLS and hypertension, clinical stroke, and cardiovascular disease. T-cell invasion may be a secondary phenomenon.
AB - BACKGROUND: Patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) have increased silent microvascular disease by magnetic resonance imaging. However, there has been no previous autopsy confirmation of these magnetic resonance imaging findings. RLS is also frequently associated with inflammatory and immunologically mediated medical disorders. The postmortem cortex in patients with RLS was therefore evaluated for evidence of microvascular and immunological changes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten microvascular injury samples of precentral gyrus in 5 patients with RLS (3 men, 2 women; mean age, 81 years) and 9 controls (2 men, 7 women; mean age, 90 years) were studied by hematoxylin and eosin stains in a blinded fashion. None of the subjects had a history of stroke or neurologic insults. In a similar manner, the following immunohisto-chemistry stains were performed: (1) glial fibrillary acidic protein (representing gliosis, reactive change of glial cells in response to damage); (2) CD3 (a T-cell marker); (3) CD19 (a B-cell marker); (4) CD68 (a macrophage marker); and (5) CD117 (a mast cell marker). Patients with RLS had significantly greater silent microvascular disease (P=0.015) and gliosis (P=0.003). T cells were increased in RLS compared with controls (P=0.009) and tended to colocalize with microvascular disease (P=0.003). Other markers did not differ. There was no correlation between microvascular lesion load and RLS severity or duration. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RLS had statistically significantly more silent cerebral microvascular disease and gliosis than controls compatible with previous magnetic resonance imaging studies and with studies showing a link between RLS and hypertension, clinical stroke, and cardiovascular disease. T-cell invasion may be a secondary phenomenon.
KW - Cortex
KW - Gliosis
KW - Microvascular disease
KW - Restless legs syndrome
KW - T cells
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U2 - 10.1161/JAHA.120.019627
DO - 10.1161/JAHA.120.019627
M3 - Article
C2 - 33998250
AN - SCOPUS:85107390407
SN - 2047-9980
VL - 10
JO - Journal of the American Heart Association
JF - Journal of the American Heart Association
IS - 11
M1 - e019627
ER -