Cortical plasticity and its implications for focal hand dystonia.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
The exact origin of focal dystonias has not been elucidated so far. Aberrant plasticity of the brain cortex is suspected to be a crucial factor in the development of this group of movement disorders. The aim of this article is to summarize recent findings on the etiopathogenesis of focal hand dystonias with a focus on the role of abnormal cortical plasticity.

METHODS AND RESULTS:
A search of the literature mainly from 1995 to 2005 was done using the PubMed and Ovid search engines. English-language articles were identified using the following keywords:
focal hand dystonia or writer's cramp and cortical plasticity, sensorimotor, imaging. Additional references were found through bibliography reviews of relevant articles. The data from neurophysiological and imaging studies, as well as clinical observation, in focal hand dystonia suggest multiple failures at different levels of the somatosensory and motor systems, particularly in the brain cortex. This disorders lead to attenuation of inhibitory and fortification of excitatory processes.

CONCLUSIONS:
The emerging theory presumes that a maladaptive plasticity of brain cortex with abnormal sensorimotor intergration can evolve in predisposed individuals. Consequent methods of management of focal hand dystonias are outlined.

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Author information

Author/s: Opavsky, Robert (R); Hlustik, Petr (P); Kanovsky, Petr (P);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Palacky University, University Hospital, I.P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic. robo74(-atsign-)centrum.cz

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacký, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia (Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub), published in Czech Republic. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Nov; vol 150 (issue 2) : pp 223-6

Dates: Created 2007/04/11; Completed 2008/03/27;

PMID: 17426782, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology
Dystonic Disorders - physiopathology
Hand

Humans
Neuronal Plasticity
Somatosensory Cortex - physiopathology

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