News

  • August
    31st

    Medical treatment of dystonia.

    Medications such as anticholinergic drugs, dopamine modulators, baclofen, muscle relaxants, and other pharmacologic agents have been used for a long time to treat dystonia, but the introduction of botulinum toxin and deep brain stimulation clearly revolutionized the symptomatic treatment of this neurological movement disorder. Therapy of dystonia can be divided into the following categories: (1) physical, supportive, and ancillary therapy; (2) pharmacologic treatment; (3) chemodenervation with botulinum toxin; and (4) peripheral and central surgery (deep brain stimulation).

  • August
    31st

    What's new in surgical treatment for dystonia?

    It is now established that pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective in the treatment of generalized and segmental primary dystonia, although there is still insufficient evidence to support its benefit in focal and secondary dystonia. Because several studies have demonstrated that pallidal DBS improves quality of life (QoL), reduced QoL and disability that are nonresponsive to medical treatment are probably the main factors guiding the decision to consider surgery.

  • August
    30th

    The definition of dystonia: Current concepts and controversies.

    The definition of dystonia has been a subject of much debate and controversy for the last century. In this paper, a practical definition of dystonia for the movement disorders expert is presented, based on a new algorithm. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

  • August
    30th

    Genetics of dystonia: What's known? What's new? What's next?

    Although all forms of dystonia share the core clinical features of involuntary dystonic dyskinesia, there is not only marked phenotypic but also etiologic heterogeneity. Isolated dystonia can be caused by mutations in TOR1A (DYT1), TUBB4 (DYT4), THAP1 (DYT6), CIZ1 (DYT23), ANO3 (DYT24), and GNAL (DYT25). Combined dystonias (with parkinsonism or myoclonus) are further subdivided into persistent (TAF1 [DYT3], GCHI [DYT5], SGCE [DYT11], ATP1A3 [DYT12]), PRKRA (DYT16), and paroxysmal (MR-1 [DYT8], PRRT2 [DYT10], SLC2A1 [DYT18].

  • August
    30th

    Primary dystonia: Moribund or viable.

    With increasing understanding of dystonia genetic etiologies and pathophysiology there has been renewed scrutiny and reappraisal of dystonia classification schemes and nomenclature. One important category that includes both clinical and etiologic criteria is primary dystonia. This editorialized review discusses the impact of recent findings on primary dystonia criteria and argues that it remains useful in clinical and research practice. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

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