Dystonia News and Research

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Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures.

DBS improves motor and non motor symptoms of patients with early Parkinson's disease

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a well-recognized non-pharmacologic treatment that improves motor symptoms of patients with early and advanced Parkinson's disease.

26 Jun 2014

U-M researchers detail new discoveries about basic biology of dystonia

Twist and hold your neck to the left. Now down, and over to the right, until it hurts. Now imagine your neck - or arms or legs - randomly doing that on their own, without you controlling it.

18 Jun 2014

Study focuses on mutated protein associated with early onset torsion dystonia

A collaborative discovery involving Kansas State University researchers may lead to the first universal treatment for dystonia, a neurological disorder that affects nearly half a million Americans.

7 May 2014

AAN review finds certain forms of medical marijuana can help treat some symptoms of MS

A review by the American Academy of Neurology of available scientific research on the use of medical marijuana in brain diseases finds certain forms of medical marijuana can help treat some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), but do not appear to be helpful in treating drug-induced (levodopa) movements in Parkinson's disease.

29 Apr 2014

Ipsen: Dysport Phase IIa clinical trial effective in treatment of NDO

Ipsen (Paris:IPN) (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) today announced positive results from its phase IIa clinical trial assessing Dysport in the treatment of Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity (NDO) in patients with urinary incontinence not adequately managed by anticholinergics.

19 Mar 2014

Aradigm reports record revenue of $4.6M in fourth quarter 2013

Aradigm Corporation (the "Company") today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2013.

13 Mar 2014

New study may open door to better diagnosis, treatment for chronic insomnia

Johns Hopkins researchers report that people with chronic insomnia show more plasticity and activity than good sleepers in the part of the brain that controls movement.

3 Mar 2014

GLNT study to evaluate abnormal muscle tone caused by neurological disorders

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today that it is launching a study to determine the feasibility of a clinician-worn glove to objectively evaluate abnormal muscle tone, such as stiff joints or muscle tightness, due to neurological disorders.

16 Jan 2014

Ipsen reports positive initial results from Dysport phase III study in Adult Upper Limb spasticity

Ipsen today announced positive initial results from the double-blind phase III study of Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) in Adult Upper Limb spasticity. Regarding the primary endpoints, treatment with Dysport showed statistically significant response versus placebo in the improvement of muscle tone, as measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale.

17 Dec 2013

VISIUS iMRI and ClearPoint guidance platform make DBS surgery an option for children with dystonia

IMRIS Inc. and MRI Interventions, Inc. today announced that Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, is the first U.S. pediatric hospital to offer asleep deep brain stimulation surgery to children suffering from dystonia by utilizing the combination of MRI Interventions' ClearPoint Neuro Intervention System and an IMRIS VISIUS Surgical Theatre for real-time intraoperative image guidance and procedure visualization.

4 Dec 2013

Boston Scientific gets CE Mark approval for Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation System

The Boston Scientific Corporation Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation System has received CE Mark approval for the treatment of intractable primary and secondary dystonia, a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions.

19 Nov 2013

Whitehead Institute scientists identify novel Parkinson's disease drug target

Using a discovery platform whose components range from yeast cells to human stem cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a novel Parkinson's disease drug target and a compound capable of repairing neurons derived from Parkinson's patients.

25 Oct 2013

Professor receives $1.3M EUREKA grant to explore communication between cytoplasm and nucleus

University of Massachusetts Medical School Professor and Vice Chair of Neurobiology Vivian Budnik, PhD, has received a four-year, $1.3 million EUREKA (Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to explore a novel mechanism of communication between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, called nuclear envelope budding, that may lead to new understandings for various tissue dystrophies and aging disorders.

8 Oct 2013

Allergan Licenses Rights To Medytox Candidates, In Up-To-$362M Deal

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26 Sep 2013

Experts report lasting benefits of deep brain stimulation in patients with hereditary dystonia

In what is believed to be the largest follow-up record of patients with the most common form of hereditary dystonia - a movement disorder that can cause crippling muscle contractions - experts in deep brain stimulation report good success rates and lasting benefits.

20 Jun 2013

Research: Deep brain stimulation is associated with weight loss trend in morbidly obese patients

The first use of deep brain stimulation to the brain's so-called "feeding center" - the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) - was associated with a weight loss trend in morbidly obese patients whose stimulation was tuned to increase metabolism with novel guidance from metabolic chamber data, according to a pilot study presented at the International Neuromodulation Society's 11th World Congress by Dr. Michael Oh of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa.

14 Jun 2013

Non-invasive brain surgery: an interview with Dr Andres Lozano, University of Toronto

MR-guided focused ultrasound is a new technique that involves focusing 1024 beams of ultrasound through the skull to a focal point in the brain, very much like using the sun and a magnifying glass to burn a hole in a sheet of paper.

22 Apr 2013

Further research needed into therapeutic potential of rTMS for focal hand dystonia

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being increasingly explored as a therapeutic tool for movement disorders associated with deficient inhibition throughout the central nervous system. This includes treatment of focal hand dystonia (FHD), characterized by involuntary movement of the fingers either curling into the palm or extending outward.

11 Apr 2013

St. Jude Medical gets European CE Mark approval for deep brain stimulation systems

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced European CE Mark approval of its Brio, Libra and LibraXP deep brain stimulation systems for managing the symptoms of intractable primary and secondary dystonia, a neurological movement disorder that causes a person's muscles to contract and involuntarily spasm, reducing the ability to control movement.