Y: You look like you haven't sleep a wink, Don.

D: I haven't. I sympathize with my wife, I really do, but those crazy legs of hers are      driving me crazy.

Y: Does she kick you in her sleep?

D: Sometimes, but that's not the half of it. She's got this thing called Restless Leg      Syndrome, and it makes her legs sort of itch, and the only thing that relieves the itch      is to move them. If that weren't bad enough, the itching gets worse at night, so she      can't stop moving her legs around--all night long! Someone needs to figure out what      has gone haywire in her brain so we can both sleep again!

Y: You'll be glad to know that recent research has found that there seem to be no      pathological changes in the brains of people with Restless Leg Syndrome. That is,      there is no loss or damage of brain cells, as is the case in Parkinson's and      Alzheimer's.

D: That's good, but what causes it then?

Y: It appears that cells in a section of the brain are simply not getting enough iron. These      patients' brains are lacking a specific receptor that transports iron. They get enough      iron to keep the brain cells alive, but not enough to keep them functioning well, hence      the itching sensation that gives the patient the urge to move his or her legs. Because      it's a matter of the receptor for iron malfunctioning, iron supplements are not the      answer. While scientists are still working on developing a definitive treatment, there      are medications your doctor can prescribe that may help ease the symptoms.  

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