MRI in primary focal dystonia

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 126; no. 9; p. e174
• Main Authors: Tomić, A, Svetel, M, Petrović, I, Dragašević-Mišković, N, Filippi, M, Kostić, V.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Neurology
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.04.008

In 75 patients with focal dystonia (20 blepharospasm [BL], 15 spasmodic dysphonia [SD], 21 spasmodic torticollis [ST], 19 writer’s cramp [WC]) and 83 healthy controls, 3D T1-weighted, DT MRI and resting-state functional MR scans were obtained. Patients with BL showed decreased GM in the right postcentral gyrus, rolandic operculum, bilateral cerebellum and left supramarginal and parahippocampal gyri. SD patients showed decreased GM in bilateral superior frontal gyri, and bilateral rolandic operculum/insula and right temporal lobe compared to controls. In WC patients regions of GM increases were found in the right middle frontal gyrus and insula, left superior frontal and postcentral gyri, as well as in bilateral thalami. ST and controls had no difference in GM. Compared with controls, BL and SD patients showed a widespread pattern of WM damage, whereas changes were less pronounced in ST and WC. Patients with BL showed increased, while WC patients had decreased functional connectivity in sensorimotor network comparing to controls. ST patients showed no functional differences compared to controls. Patients with focal dystonia exhibit GM and WM alteration, and functional connectivity changes in regions highly relevant to motor function, sensory processing, and cognitive modulation of motor behavior.