What's New in Research

 
Genetic Research Leads to New Discovery in Understanding Rare Neurological Disorder

February 1, 2009 - A study led by Laurie Ozelius, PhD at Mount Sinai School of Medicine has identified a gene associated with the development of primary torsion dystonia, also known as DYT6 dystonia.  

Abnormal Brain Circuits May Prevent Movement Disorder

August 4, 2009 Physorg.com, Specific changes in brain pathways may counteract genetic mutations for the movement disorder dystonia, according to new research in the August 5 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. Few people who inherit dystonia genes display symptoms -- namely sustained muscle contractions and involuntary gestures -- and the study provides a possible explanation. This result could lead to new treatments for the estimated 500,000 North Americans diagnosed with dystonia.
 
 

What's Making News

Liona Boyd: five years of healing, two new albums, one rebirth
November 6, 2009 - 10:28am

Guy Dixon From Saturday's Globe and Mail

For many years, Liona Boyd had something distressing happening to her hand, specifically to her right middle finger, and it was only getting worse.

The Doctors - Alex's Story Continued
October 14, 2009 - 11:32am

Alex, 27, appeared on The Doctors and shared her struggle with dystonia, a neurological movement disorder that causes muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. The muscle contractions force Alex's body into repetitive and often twisting movements, as well as awkward, irregular postures.

Speechless: Dilbert Creator's Struggle to Regain His Voice
July 21, 2009 - 9:43am

Wired Magazine - Brian Raferty - The rules changed all the time—sometimes day to day, sometimes hour to hour—and whenever he tried to recite them, people thought, "This guy is nuts."

The rules dictated when and where Scott Adams, the chief engineer of the Dilbert comic empire, was allowed to speak. He could neither control them nor predict exactly when they'd go into effect.

The Doctors, The Power of Positive Outlook with Dr. Phil and Montel
April 30, 2009 - 2:02pm

The Doctors, CBS  Living with Dystonia
Imagine having constant muscle spasms and not being able to stop your body from shaking uncontrollably. Alex, 27, has lived with this debilitating feeling since she was diagnosed with dystonia in 2007.

Dateline April 13, 2009, Sam confronts a medical mystery — and decides to undergo brain surgery
April 21, 2009 - 11:11am

By Hoda Kotb Correspondent NBC News

Imagine being a high-spirited 12-year-old boy and discovering that your body wasn't working the way it's supposed to. Watch the full segment here.