Genetic association analysis suggests that the high-activity form of the gene encoding monoamine oxidase (MAOA) may be associated with the etiology and extent of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in women, Canadian investigators report the July 23rd issue of Neurology.
Theorizing that RLS is caused by central dopaminergic dysfunction, Dr. Guy A. Rouleau, of McGill University in Quebec, and colleagues investigated two isoenzymes of MAO, MAOA and MAOB, catabolic enzymes for which dopamine is a common substrate.
The study population included 96 patients diagnosed with RLS and 200 controls matched for ethnic background. Genetic association analysis showed an excess of high-activity alleles of the MAOA gene in female, but not male, patients with RLS (odds ratio, 2.0 compared with low-activity alleles).
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