Active clinical trials for "Dystonic Disorders"

The purpose of this study is to determine how to improve treatment of patients with cervical dystonia who have not been helped with standard Botox injections. This study is for patients with cervical dystonia who have not benefited from treatment with Botox using conventional "single lead electromyographic (EMG) techniques" for injection. The study aim is to see if these patients may have significantly more benefit if their Botox is injected into muscles that have been chosen with a multi-channel EMG mapping study of the neck prior to Botox injection.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN)for primary dystonia.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treating primary dystonia. Patients with dystonia have muscle spasms that cause uncontrolled twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal postures. Medical therapies are available, but not all patients get adequate relief from the abnormal movements or the pain associated with them. DBS is a surgical procedure that interrupts neuronal circuits in the globus pallidus interna (Gpi) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) - areas of the basal ganglia of the brain that do not work correctly in patients with dystonia. This results in decreased movement and therefore may lessen patients' symptoms and pain. The study will also examine the physiology of dystonia and determine whether the treatment effects of DBS in the Gpi differ significantly from DBS of the STN. Patients 18 years of age and older with primary cervical dystonia that does not respond to medical treatment or botulinum toxin (Botox) may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with blood and urine tests, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, see below) of the brain. Each participant undergoes the following tests and procedures: Magnetic resonance imaging. This procedure is done after implantation of the stimulators to verify position of the electrodes. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of the brain. The patient lies on a table that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning process. The procedure usually lasts about 45 to 90 minutes, during which the patient is asked to lie still for up to 15 minutes at a time. Transcranial magnetic stimulation. This procedure maps brain function. A wire coil is held on the scalp, and a brief electrical current is passed through the coil, creating a magnetic pulse that stimulates the brain. During the stimulation, the patient may be asked to tense certain muscles slightly or perform other simple actions. The stimulation may cause a twitch in muscles of the face, arm, or leg, and the patient may hear a click and feel a pulling sensation on the skin under the coil. During the stimulation, electrical activity of muscles is recorded with a computer, using electrodes attached to the skin with tape. Neurologic evaluation. Before and after DBS, the patient's dystonia is measured with a standardized rating scale called the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Scale (TWSTRS). DBS treatment. Patients are randomly assigned to have electrodes implanted in either the Gpi or STN area of the basal ganglia. The electrodes are what stimulate the brain in DBS therapy. Before surgery, a frame is secured to the patient's head, and an MRI scan is done. DBS involves making two small incisions and two small holes in the skull, opening the lining around the brain, locating the Gpi or STN, securing the electrodes in place, and connecting them to the pulse generator that is placed under the skin below the collar bone. In addition, during the surgery, the patient is asked to move certain muscles. The muscle activity is recorded to gain a better understanding of the physiology of movement. After surgery, MRI scans are done to confirm placement of the electrodes. Stimulation and evaluation. After surgery, patients' movements are evaluated during and after stimulation. The changes in movement and function are videotaped and scored according to a rating scale. The optimal stimulation settings are determined and the stimulators are adjusted accordingly. Neurologic evaluations with the TWSTRS scale are repeated at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, and the stimulators are adjusted as needed. Some of the evaluations are videotaped.

This study will evaluate the effect of motor training on focal hand dystonia in people with writer's cramp and will examine whether this training affects excitability of the motor cortex of the brain. In dystonia, muscle spasms cause uncontrolled twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal postures. Focal dystonia involves just one part of the body, such as the hand, neck or face. Patients with focal hand dystonia have difficulty with individualized finger movements, which may be due to increased excitability of the motor cortex. Patients with hand dystonia 21 years of age or older may be eligible for this 2-month study. Those taking botulinum toxin injections must stop medication 3 months before entering the study. Participants will undergo a complete neurologic examination. They will undergo motor training with "constraint-induced movement therapy." This therapy involves constraining some fingers while allowing others to move. Participants will have the following tests and procedures at baseline (before motor training), after 4 weeks of motor training, and again after 8 weeks: Handwriting analysis - A computerized program evaluates the degree of "automatic movements" the patient uses in writing, as well as writing pressure and speed. Symptoms evaluation - Patients fill out a written questionnaire about symptoms and rate their improvement, if any, after training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation - The patient is seated in a comfortable chair, and an insulated wire coil is placed on the scalp. Brief electrical currents pass through the coil, creating magnetic pulses that travel to the brain. These pulses generate very small electrical currents in the brain cortex, briefly disrupting the function of the brain cells in the stimulated area. The stimulation may cause muscle twitching or tingling in the scalp, face, arm or hand. During the stimulation, the patient is asked to slightly tense certain muscles in the hand or arm or perform simple actions. Electrodes are taped to the skin over the muscles activated by the stimulation, and the electrical activity in the muscles will be recorded with a computer. Electroencephalogram (EEG) - Wire electrodes are taped to the scalp or placed on a Lycra cap the patient wears to record the brain's electrical activity. Participants will have 50-minute motor training sessions 3 times during the first week of the study, twice the second week and once each in weeks 3 and 4. In addition, they will be required to practice the training at home for 25 minutes each day during week 1 and 50 minutes each day for the remaining 3 weeks. Fingers not being trained will be splinted.

Objective: To determine if the calcium channel blockers, amlodipine can augment the effect of botulinum toxin injections in the treatment of focal dystonia. Study Population: 20 patients with cervical dystonia Design: Double-bind, placebo-controlled clinical trail. Outcome measures: For patients: dystonia rating scales (Twistrs, Fahn-Marsden dystonia scale, NINDS subjective patient rating scale), and hand grip strength. For healthy volunteers: Amplitude of EDB MEP.

RATIONALE: Dystonia is a disorder in which the muscles that control voluntary movements are persistently or intermittently contracted (not relaxed). Deep brain stimulation is provided by a small, battery operated implant placed under the skin of the chest that delivers low voltage electrical pulses through a wire under the skin that is connected to a specific area of the brain. Deep brain stimulation may help lessen the symptoms of dystonia. PURPOSE: Phase II/III trial to study the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation in treating patients who have dystonia.

The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that the efficacy and safety of Meditoxin® are not inferior to Botox®'s in the treatment of Cervical Dystonia.

24-Week Prospective, Double-Blinded, Randomized, Cross-over design in Multicenter Study of 50 unit of Neubotulinum Toxin Type A (Neuronox) and 100 unit of Neubotulinum Toxin Type A (Neuronox) injection for Cervical Dystonia in patient diagnosed with cervical dystonia according to clinical diagnosis. It was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, quality of life and the comparesion the improvement after treatment by of 50 unit of Neubotulinum Toxin Type A (Neuronox) and 100 unit of Neubotulinum Toxin Type A (Neuronox) injection.

Dystonia in Wilson's disease represent a major issue. The persistence of disabling motor symptoms despite medical treatments justifies conducting a study on deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Wilson's disease (WD). For bradykinetic patients, subthalamic nucleus (STN) could be considered as a better target than the globus pallidus (GPi). For patients with hyperkinetic dystonia, the internal globus pallidus (GPi) will be chosen as the target of DBS. The investigators hypothesize that STN DBS will improve Wilson's disease patients, who, despite copper chelators drugs, are still impaired by severe dystonia and akinesia (more or less associated with other movement disorders). The investigators primary objective is to demonstrate the efficacy of STN/GPi DBS on dystonia associated with Wilson's disease. Secondary objectives: To evaluate the impact of STN/GPi DBS on other movements disorders (tremor, Parkinsonism, chorea) observed in Wilson's disease. To describe cognitive status of patients and to evaluate the consequences of STN/GPi DBS on cognition and behavioral aspects of the disease. To evaluate the consequences of the stimulation on speech and swallowing. To evaluate the social impact of STN/GPi DBS in Wilson's disease. To evaluate the safety of STN/GPi DBS in the specific context of Wilson's disease.

The purpose of the proposed research is to determine if Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) used alone or in combination with the standard treatment of botulinum toxin intramuscular injections improves motor function and quality of life amongst people with cervical (neck) dystonia.