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Background and PurposePeriodic limb movements (PLM) during sleep (PLMS) are associated with cortical and cardiovascular activation. Changes in cerebral hemodynamics caused by cortical activity can be measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). We investigated oscillatory components of cerebral hemodynamics during PLM and different sleep stages in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients with PLMS.MethodsFour female RLS patients with PLMS, and four age- and sex-matched normal controls were included. PLM and sleep stages were scored using polysomnography, while the spontaneous cerebral hemodynamics was measured by NIRS. The phase and amplitude of the cerebral oxyhemoglobin concentration [HbO] and the deoxyhemoglobin concentration [Hb] low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) were evaluated during each sleep stage [waking, light sleep (LS; stages N1 and N2), slow-wave sleep (stage N3), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep]. In RLS patients with PLMS, the cerebral hemodynamics during LS was divided into LS with and without PLM.ResultsThe cerebral hemodynamics activity varied among the different sleep stages. There were changes in phase differences between [HbO] and [Hb] LFOs during the different sleep stages in the normal controls but not in the RLS patients with PLMS. The [HbO] and [Hb] LFO amplitudes were higher in the patient group than in controls during both LS with PLM and REM sleep.ConclusionsThe present study has demonstrated the presence of cerebral hemodynamics disturbances in RLS patients with PLMS, which may contribute to an increased risk of cerebrovascular events.