View clinical trials related to Dystonic Disorders.
Filter by:Purpose - Objective : Sensorimotor adaptation allows the modification of the motor command taking into account the errors detected during execution of prior movements. It involves a large cortico-subcortical network. Isolated lesions of this network do not systematically alter sensorimotor adaptation except for cerebellar lesions. The cerebellum is thus a key structure for sensorimotor adaptation. However, the link between cerebellar and the cortical plasticity underlying sensorimotor adaptation remain unknown. Alteration of sensorimotor adaptation is associated with dystonia but it is unclear whether it is a cause or consequence of dystonia. It has been hypothesized that the abnormal plasticity observed in dystonia could account for the associated alteration of sensorimotor adaptation. Classically, basal ganglia dysfunction is considered to be crucial for dystonia pathogenesis. However, recent studies suggest that the involvement of the cerebellum may also be important in this setting. In primary dystonia, imaging studies showed abnormal cerebellar activation during sensorimotor adaptation tasks and neurophysiological studies demonstrated a decrease of cerebellar output. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of the cerebellum in the cortical plasticity underlying sensorimotor adaptation both in healthy subjects (normal plasticity) and in dystonic patients (abnormal plasticity). - Methods: Paired associative stimulation PAS consists in repetitive pairing of a peripheral nerve and a cortical stimulation. This kind of stimulation has been designed to induce artificial plasticity that can be easily measured. This PAS induced sensorimotor plasticity is exacerbated and has lost its topographical specificity in dystonic patients.TMS using trains of TMS pulses (rTMS) can be applied on the cerebellum to modulate its output. We will test the effect of rTMS induced modulation (cTBS- inhibitory, iTBS-excitatory, sham) of the cerebellar output on PAS induced plasticity in patients with dystonia and healthy control. We will also assess the acute effect of the rTMS induced modulation of the cerebellar output on the dystonic symptoms and on the performance at a validated sensorimotor adaptation task. This will be done by double blind post-hoc scoring of the dystonia (BFM or TWSTRS) on standardized videorecording and measurement of the performance at the task after each rTMS session (cTBS, iTBS, sham). Finally, we will assess the variation of PAS effect on other parameters reflecting cortical excitability after each rTMS session (cTBS, iTBS, sham).
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves placing electrodes into the brain. Through these electrodes, artificial electrical signals are chronically delivered into deep brain regions in order to alter abnormal brain activity. The artificial electrical signals are generated by a battery that is inserted under the skin of the chest. DBS is used to treat several disorders of movement, including dystonia. In dystonia, the electrodes are inserted into a brain region called the globus pallidus. Globus pallidus stimulation can be very effective therapy for dystonia. However not all patients are equally responsive and therapeutic outcomes can be frustratingly variable. The reason for this variability is unclear. Such variability in response may need to be met by tailoring stimulation to individual patients. Another issue with deep brain stimulation is battery life. Eventually, batteries become depleted and need to be replaced. Such battery replacements require an operation, hospital stay and the risk of introducing infection. The high electrical energy that has been used to treat dystonia means that batteries are typically replaced every year or two. The artificial electrical signals of deep brain stimulation are delivered with three parameters; frequency (Hertz - Hz), voltage (volts) and pulse width (microseconds). It has recently been reported that lower frequency stimulation, at 60Hz rather than 130Hz, can be used effectively to treat dystonia. Such 60Hz stimulation may be more effective for some patients than others. The lower energy demands of 60Hz stimulation would also greatly improve battery life (potentially doubling battery life). The aim of this study is to assess if 60Hz stimulation is more effective in ameliorating the dystonia of patients who have responded poorly to 130Hz pallidal stimulation. The current status of the evidence is one of clinical equipoise (uncertainty) and therefore suits a double blinded randomised trial.
Foot dystonia is frequently observed in patients suffering from Parkinson'disease. It is characterized by an abnormal involuntary movement which is very uncomfortable (difficult to walk) and painful for the patient. Botulinum toxin injections seem to be efficient to treat this dystonia. However studies on this topic are few and very imprecise (many muscle injected, especially the Flexor digitorum longus, different doses used, heterogeneous population with many types of dystonia included, open studies).
The purposes of this study are to identify persons with rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) or mutations of the RDP gene, document prevalence of the disease, and map its natural history.
Patients with focal dystonia experience uncontrollable movements of the hand during certain types of skilled movements. Though the origin of the disorder is not fully understood, it is thought that brain areas involved in moving the hands and receiving touch information from the hands, are involved. For example, patients with dystonia affecting the hand show changes in their ability to perceive touch - this is something that typically escapes the patients own awareness. Further, the area of the brain receiving touch information has a disrupted representation of the finger skin surfaces. The goal of our research is to improve dystonia symptoms in patients with hand dystonia. We will attempt to achieve this goal by implementing an intensive training treatment that requires patients to attend to, and use touch information applied to specific fingertips. Previous work has attempted to alter touch perception using sensory training and improvements in motor control (hand writing) of dystonia patients were observed. For example, learning to read Braille improves tactile perception and handwriting in focal hand dystonia. A different approach to treat focal hand dystonia involves a technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and this can also temporarily improve hand writing in dystonia patients. The proposed research will attempt to alter touch processing using touch training alone, or in combination with rTMS. Rather than train using Braille reading, the sensory training will be applied using a systematic, experimenter controlled stimulus set that focuses on touch stimuli applied to individual digits. Importantly patients will have to associate certain types of touch information with rewards and other touch input with the lack of a reward. The study will first involve measuring the location and representation of the touch in the brain using multiple brain mapping tools. These tools include functional magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography; when both tools are used a very accurate picture of finger representation can be obtained, and we also know what brain areas respond to touch stimuli. Dystonia symptoms and touch perception will also be assessed. Next, patients will participate in a training intervention that involves 15 days(2.5 hr/day) of touch training applied to the fingertips of the dystonia affected hand. Patients will identify the touch targets amongst distractors and receive on-line performance feedback. The goal of the training is to provide the cortex with regular boundaries of fingers and in this way, attempt to re-shape the sensory cortex to accept these boundaries. Another group of patients will receive rTMS. The goal of the rTMS is to create an environment in sensory cortex that is open or 'ready' to accept changes induced by tactile stimulation. The rTMS will be immediately followed by the tactile training. A third group of patients will receive a placebo version of rTMS followed by tactile training. The latter group will allow us to understand if rTMS has a definite effect on the physiology of the patient. Following the 15-day training, we will assess the brains representation of fingertips, changes in dystonia symptoms and changes in the perception of touch stimuli. This research will advance the treatment of focal hand dystonia and assist the design of precise remediation training tailored to the dystonia patient.
The purpose of this randomized, double blind, multi-center study is to assess the efficacy and safety of bilateral pallidal deep brain stimulation in patients with tardive dystonia.
Primary generalized dystonia, also called idiopathic torsion dystonia or dystonia musculorum deformans is a disabling neurological condition which usually starts in childhood, mostly in a lower limb and spreads to other body parts as the disease progresses. Medical treatment is usually ineffective and most patients become wheelchair bound or even bedridden. Recently several case series and one RCT reported favourable results of bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus internus (GPi) for primary generalized dystonias. However, the number of patients treated with bilateral GPi stimulation is still limited. Therefore, we propose a RCT to investigate whether bilateral DBS of the GPi is an effective and safe treatment in patients with primary generalized dystonia.
Pallidal stimulation is effective in patients with generalised idiopathic dystonia. The aim of this study is to: 1. evaluate the efficacy and safety of this treatment in patients with idiopathic generalised dystonia, 3 years after surgery and 2. assess the recurrence of the motor symptoms after the switch off.