http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6721446
The above study from 1984 at Stanford found that oral administration of baclofen somewhat improved sleep in patients with PLM-associated arousals. The results seem fairly positive, with the finding essentially that although baclofen increased the number of PLMs, it decreased their amplitude, and decreased the length of the arousals associated with PLMs.
My question then is why does there seem to be no follow-up research on the treatment of PLMD (i.e. arousals caused by PLMs) with baclofen? I understand that RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) is accompanied by PLMS in about 80% of RLS cases, and since dopaminergics and anti-convulsants are generally more effective treatment for RLS than are muscle relaxants (like baclofen) the research on RLS and baclofen is not extensive. But in cases of PLM-associated arousals unaccompanied by sensations of restlessness (RLS), why is there no further research on the seemingly promising treatment of baclofen?
