支持皮层下起源的依据还包括:在多导睡眠图期间,在肌电图检测发现肢体运动时,脑部脑电图电位缺失。[8]Rijsman RM, Stam CJ, de Weerd AW. Abnormal H-reflexes in periodic limb movement disorder: impact on understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005;116:204-210.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15589198?tool=bestpractice.com[17]Vetrugno R, Provini F, Plazzi G, et al. Propriospinal myoclonus: a motor phenomenon found in restless legs syndrome different from periodic limb movements during sleep. Mov Disord. 2005; 20:1323-1329.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007657?tool=bestpractice.com[18]Lee MS, Choi YC, Lee SH, et al. Sleep-related periodic leg movements associated with spinal cord lesions. Mov Disord. 1996;11:719-722.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8914100?tool=bestpractice.com[19]Lee MS, Lyoo CH, Kim WC, et al. Periodic bursts of rhythmic dyskinesia associated with spinal anesthesia. Mov Disord. 1997;12:816-817.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9380075?tool=bestpractice.com[20]Bucher SF, Seeleos KC, Oertel WH, et al. Cerebral generators involved in the pathogenesis of the restless legs syndrome. Ann Neurol. 1997;41:639-645.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9153526?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Bara-Jimenez W, Aksu M, Graham B, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep: state-dependent excitability of the spinal flexor reflex. Neurology. 2000;54:1609-1616.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10762502?tool=bestpractice.com睡眠周期性肢体运动的肌电图分析表明,这是一种固有路径引起的传播模式,运动活动始自肌肉,例如股四头肌,之后传播至其他腿部或轴向肌肉。[8]Rijsman RM, Stam CJ, de Weerd AW. Abnormal H-reflexes in periodic limb movement disorder: impact on understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005;116:204-210.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15589198?tool=bestpractice.com[17]Vetrugno R, Provini F, Plazzi G, et al. Propriospinal myoclonus: a motor phenomenon found in restless legs syndrome different from periodic limb movements during sleep. Mov Disord. 2005; 20:1323-1329.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007657?tool=bestpractice.com[18]Lee MS, Choi YC, Lee SH, et al. Sleep-related periodic leg movements associated with spinal cord lesions. Mov Disord. 1996;11:719-722.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8914100?tool=bestpractice.com[19]Lee MS, Lyoo CH, Kim WC, et al. Periodic bursts of rhythmic dyskinesia associated with spinal anesthesia. Mov Disord. 1997;12:816-817.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9380075?tool=bestpractice.com[20]Bucher SF, Seeleos KC, Oertel WH, et al. Cerebral generators involved in the pathogenesis of the restless legs syndrome. Ann Neurol. 1997;41:639-645.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9153526?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Bara-Jimenez W, Aksu M, Graham B, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep: state-dependent excitability of the spinal flexor reflex. Neurology. 2000;54:1609-1616.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10762502?tool=bestpractice.com睡眠周期性肢体运动在远端完全性脊髓横断损伤患者中已有报告,也见于脊髓麻醉诱导期间。[19]Lee MS, Lyoo CH, Kim WC, et al. Periodic bursts of rhythmic dyskinesia associated with spinal anesthesia. Mov Disord. 1997;12:816-817.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9380075?tool=bestpractice.com这些观察结果提示:睡眠周期性肢体运动始自脊髓内,由激活数个非同步中枢脊髓发生器引发。[19]Lee MS, Lyoo CH, Kim WC, et al. Periodic bursts of rhythmic dyskinesia associated with spinal anesthesia. Mov Disord. 1997;12:816-817.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9380075?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Bara-Jimenez W, Aksu M, Graham B, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep: state-dependent excitability of the spinal flexor reflex. Neurology. 2000;54:1609-1616.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10762502?tool=bestpractice.com同时也表明,睡眠周期性肢体运动可通过降低可能源自脑干网状系统的脊髓上影响进行调节。[8]Rijsman RM, Stam CJ, de Weerd AW. Abnormal H-reflexes in periodic limb movement disorder: impact on understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005;116:204-210.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15589198?tool=bestpractice.com[17]Vetrugno R, Provini F, Plazzi G, et al. Propriospinal myoclonus: a motor phenomenon found in restless legs syndrome different from periodic limb movements during sleep. Mov Disord. 2005; 20:1323-1329.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007657?tool=bestpractice.com[18]Lee MS, Choi YC, Lee SH, et al. Sleep-related periodic leg movements associated with spinal cord lesions. Mov Disord. 1996;11:719-722.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8914100?tool=bestpractice.com[19]Lee MS, Lyoo CH, Kim WC, et al. Periodic bursts of rhythmic dyskinesia associated with spinal anesthesia. Mov Disord. 1997;12:816-817.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9380075?tool=bestpractice.com[20]Bucher SF, Seeleos KC, Oertel WH, et al. Cerebral generators involved in the pathogenesis of the restless legs syndrome. Ann Neurol. 1997;41:639-645.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9153526?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Bara-Jimenez W, Aksu M, Graham B, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep: state-dependent excitability of the spinal flexor reflex. Neurology. 2000;54:1609-1616.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10762502?tool=bestpractice.com域的功能性 MRI 检查提示,可能涉及多巴胺脑干区,也部分支持这一假说。[24]Cervenka S, Palhagen SE, Comley RA, et al. Support for dopaminergic hypoactivity in restless legs syndrome: a PET study on D2-receptor binding. Brain. 2006;129:2017-2028.http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/129/8/2017.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816393?tool=bestpractice.com推测多巴胺活动减少为 RLS 相关的 PLMS 机制,低铁可能加重多巴胺能传递减少。[22]Allen R. Dopamine and iron in the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Sleep Med. 2004;5:385-391.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15222997?tool=bestpractice.com[23]Clemens S, Rye D, Hochman S. Restless legs syndrome: revisiting the dopamine hypothesis from the spinal cord perspective. Neurology. 2006;67:125-130.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16832090?tool=bestpractice.com[24]Cervenka S, Palhagen SE, Comley RA, et al. Support for dopaminergic hypoactivity in restless legs syndrome: a PET study on D2-receptor binding. Brain. 2006;129:2017-2028.http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/129/8/2017.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816393?tool=bestpractice.com阿片类药物可改善症状,因此也推测 PLMS 可能源自多巴胺-阿片输入至调节运动活动和疼痛感知的神经递质的平衡紊乱。