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The Frontal Assessment Battery in RLS patients with and without augmentation.

Authors :: Ellmerer P
Stefani A
Heim B
Bergmann M
Seppi K
Poewe W
Högl B
Djamshidian A
Source :: Sleep medicine [Sleep Med] 2020 Nov; Vol. 75, pp. 456-458. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Sep 10.
Publication Year :: 2020
Abstract: Objective: We assessed frontal executive functions in patients with RLS/WED with and without augmentation and compared the results to healthy controls.<br />Methods: We recruited 38 patients with RLS/WED. A total of 23 patients were treated with dopaminergic therapy and showed no signs of augmentation and 15 patients had a history of augmentation (AUG). Results were compared to 21 healthy controls. All individuals were assessed by the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the MMSE. Furthermore, impulsivity was assessed during a semi-structured interview.<br />Results: Patients with AUG performed worse in the FAB than healthy controls and RLS/WED patients without AUG (p = 0.001, η <superscript>2</superscript>  = 0.201). When we assessed the subtests of the FAB separately, we found a significant difference in the subtest assessing inhibitory control (p = 0.008, η <superscript>2</superscript>  = 0.138).<br />Conclusions: Our findings suggest an impaired executive function in RLS/WED patients with augmentation compared to RLS/WED patients without augmentation and healthy controls. Long term neuroplastic changes within the prefrontal cortex may be the underlying cause for these results. However, further studies in a larger sample size and with a more extensive neuropsychological test battery are needed to confirm our preliminary results.<br /> (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)