RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME FOUNDATION

Research. The rlsf supports and funds rls related research projects. During the current fiscal year, 5 research grants were awarded: one grant was awarded for the multi-center longitudinal pilot observational study of the efficacy and tolerability of long-term treatment of rls using opioids (opioid registry), the abnormal cause of limb sensations in rls, sensory dysfunction in a diet-induced iron-deficiency mouse model of rls: characterization and control by dopamine-sensitive spinal gating circuitry, cerebrospinal fluid melanocortin and endorphin in restless legs syndrome related augmentation, and epidural spinal cord stimulation in refractory or augmented restless legs syndrome.

Support groups: the rls foundation supports sixty-one support group leaders, virtual support group leaders and contact volunteers in thirty- six states and canada. Each leader holds at least one in-person meeting per year in their local community. At these meetings, rls foundation educational materials are distributed to attendees. Support group leaders work with a medical advisor that assists the group by presenting on rls topics of interest, suggesting other meeting presenters and overall support to the group. Virtual support groups (vsg), program is an rlsf program that provides four regularly scheduled monthly virtual group meetings to connect and support individuals with rls using video conferencing accessible to all in the rls community. Rlsf educational materials for download are given to vsg attendees. The number of individuals reached through virtual support groups 505, with 295 unique visitors attending multiple meetings throughout the year.