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A team of researchers from Europe, Canada and the US analysed the DNA of 4,867 RLS patients and 7,280 without the condition. The team identified two new genetic regions which play a role in the development of RLS. One of the regions is found within a gene involved in regulating brain activity, known as TOX3. It's already known that increased levels of TOX3 protein protect brain cells from death, but the precise connection between TOX3 and RLS is as yet unknown, the scientists said. RLS is more common in women than men, and in older people, although it can occur in any age group. Many women develop the condition in the later stages of pregnancy, but this usually disappears after giving birth. The research is published in the journal PLoS Genetics.