Dystonia

dystonia, movement disorder characterized by the involuntary and repetitive contraction of muscle groups, resulting in twisting movements, unusual postures, and possible tremor of the involved muscles. As the disorder persists, movement may affect other muscle groups. Although dystonias may occur in families or sporadically, many are secondary to other disorders as reactions to medications; for example, one of the most common dystonias is induced by levodopa, a drug used in the treatment of Parkinson disease.

Dystonias may be classified in several ways, one of which is the mode of initiation of the movement; often the dystonia appears only with a specific action, such as the contraction of hand muscles when writing is attempted (writer’s cramp). Another means of classification is the extent of muscle involvement: focal, affecting only one muscle group, such as the vocal cords (e.g., spastic dysphonia); segmental, involving two adjacent muscle groups, such as the neck muscles (e.g., spastic torticollis); or general, affecting the entire body.

Treatment varies depending on the cause. In some cases, dystonia may be treated by discontinuing use of the drug that is causing the symptoms. Various medications that act on different parts of the nervous system are often effective in the treatment of dystonias. Surgical therapies also may be used, such as thalamotomy, a procedure that destroys a specific group of cells in the brain, or cutting the nerves that supply the dystonic area. Some dystonias can be treated with botulinum toxin (e.g., Botox™, Myobloc™, and NeuroBloc™). An injection of this potent blocker of nerve transmission produces a temporary chemical denervation of the muscles that may last for several months.