We performed a service-based epidemiological study of dystonia in Munich, Germany. Due to favourable referral and treatment patterns in the Munich area, we could provide confident data from dystonia patients seeking botulinum toxin treatment. A total of 230 patients were ascertained, of whom 188 had primary dystonia. Point prevalence ratios were estimated to be 10.1 (95% confidence interval 8.4...

There are likely numerous professional musicians who have not been diagnosed with Focal task specific dystonia, but nonetheless experience hand and muscle tension accompanied by a loss of motor control during performance. As such, it is important to implement preventative measures before performance begins suffer. The proportion all fall into this category unclear. This study aims investigate t...

BACKGROUND/AIMS In distinct movement disorders, transcranial sonography detects alterations of deep brain structures with higher sensitivity than other neuroimaging methods. Lenticular nucleus hyperechogenicity on transcranial sonography, thought to be caused by increased local copper content, has been reported as a characteristic finding in primary spontaneous dystonia. Here, we wanted to find...

Much attention has focused on the hypothesis that there is enhanced plasticity of sensorimotor circuits in patients with dystonia. A common experimental method to assess plasticity in dystonia research is paired associative stimulation (PAS). Excessive, nonfocal effects of PAS were observed in early studies of dystonia; however, these large effects have not been uniformly replicated. In this vi...

OBJECTIVES To document the nature, distribution, and frequency of dystonic symptoms in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). METHODS Charts and videotapes of all clinically diagnosed patients with PSP seen between 1983 and 1993 were reviewed and the occurrence, nature, and distribution of all dystonic symptoms were recorded. RESULTS Of 83 identified cases 38 had some dystonic features. Twen...

AIM Cognitive impairments have been established as part of the non-motor phenomenology of adult dystonia. In childhood dystonia, the extent of cognitive impairments is less clear. This systematic review aims to present an overview of the existing literature to elucidate the cognitive profile of primary and secondary childhood dystonia. METHOD Studies focusing on cognition in childhood dystoni...

Treatment of dopa-responsive dystonia is one of the more satisfying experiences in clinical neurology. The response to treatment with levodopa is usually dramatic and complete with no long-term complications. Carbidopa/levodopa is the mainstay in treating dopa-responsive dystonia. There is some experience using anticholinergic agents, but they are more likely to cause side effects and do not tr...

BACKGROUND Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED) is an autosomal recessive disorder that usually presents with ataxia, areflexia, and proprioceptive and vibratory sensory loss. Dystonia has been reported rarely. CASE REPORT An 11-year-old female presented with dystonic head tremor and cervical and bilateral arm dystonia. Her 14-year-old older brother had dystonic head tremor and generalized...

Tardive dystonia is a side effect of dopamine receptor-blocking agents, which are mainly used as antipsychotic drugs. The treatment of tardive dystonia is difficult and often unsuccessful. An 82-year-old woman experienced mandibular deviation to the left due to spasm of the masticatory muscles with involuntary chewing movement and Parkinsonism. She had been treated with sulpiride for motility d...

BACKGROUND The co-occurrence of tics and dystonia as an idiopathic condition has only rarely been reported. We report a series of patients with tics and persistent dystonia, with the aim of determining the prevalence and clinical characteristics of this syndrome. METHODS Analysis of clinical database of patients with tic disorders. RESULTS From our database of 224 patients with tics, 20 had...