JAMA Netw Open

Restless legs and Parkinson’s risk: Is there a connection?

October 8, 2025

Study details: This nationwide, retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 9,919 patients with restless leg syndrome (RLS) and matched controls using the Korean National Health Insurance Service Sample Cohort (2002–2019). Researchers assessed the incidence of Parkinson disease (PD) and stratified RLS patients by dopamine agonist treatment status to explore potential pathophysiologic links.

Results: PD incidence was higher in patients with RLS compared with matched controls (1.6% vs. 1.0%). Within the RLS cohort, untreated patients had a PD incidence of 2.1%, whereas those treated with dopamine agonists had a markedly lower incidence of 0.5%. At a 15-year horizon, the restricted mean survival time to PD diagnosis was slightly shorter in the RLS group (14.88 years) than in controls (14.93 years), with a mean difference of -0.05 years (95% confidence interval, -0.07 to -0.03).

Clinical impact: These findings support an association between RLS and increased PD risk, particularly in patients not receiving dopamine agonist therapy. While causality remains unconfirmed, clinicians may consider closer neurologic monitoring in RLS patients, especially those untreated, and recognize that mechanisms beyond dopaminergic dysfunction may be involved.

Source:

Bang M, et al. (2025, October 6). JAMA Netw Open. Risk of Parkinson Disease Among Patients With Restless Leg Syndrome. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41051773/