The prevalence and clinical significance of alexithymia in restless legs syndrome

Objectives: Alexithymia, characterised by difficulties in identifying and expressing emotions, has beenassociated with various neurological and psychiatric disorders, but its prevalence and clinical impact in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) remain insufficiently characterised. This study aimed to explore therelationship between alexithymia and RLS, with particular focus on the association between alexithymia and the perception and severity of RLS symptoms.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 81 RLS patients (24 males, 57 females; mean age 51.91 years). Alexithymia was assessed with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and disease severity with the RLS Severity Rating Scale (RLS-SRS). Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were applied.Results: Definite alexithymia (TAS-20 ≥ 61) was present in 54.3% of patients. No significant correlation was found between TAS-20 and RLS-SRS scores (r = 0.150; p = 0.182). Education level was the only variable significantly associated with TAS-20 scores (r = −0.451; p < 0.001). Gender and age had no significant effect on either alexithymia or RLS severity.Conclusion: Alexithymia is highly prevalent in RLS patients but does not correlate directly with symptom severity. These findings suggest that emotional processing difficulties represent a clinically significant but severity-independent burden in RLS. Incorporating alexithymia screening and psychological support into RLS management may warrant consideration, although this potential benefit should be confirmed in controlled, longitudinal studies before it can be recommended for routine practice.