VCU researchers search for answers to causes of dystonia in research studies
By Sean Gorman
Dystonia is considered the third most common movement disorder. It can be a spontaneous isolated condition, or it can be seen in patients taking anti-psychotic medications as well as those with Parkinson’s disease or those who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury. In many cases, the root cause of a patient’s dystonia remains a mystery.
An estimated 300,000 people have dystonia in the U.S., but the figure is thought to be an underestimate.
“The problem with dystonia is that we think it affects a lot more people than who are diagnosed with it because it’s under-recognized,” says Brian Berman, MD, director of the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center and associate professor in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology. “A lot of people have it and don’t know that they have it, don’t get the right treatment, or don’t get treated soon enough after the symptoms begin.”
The Center is leading a number of studies on dystonia, which were highlighted this month by the Department of Neurology.