What is the Cause of Dystonia?
Research indicates that dystonia is likely to be related to some malfunction of a small but important area of the brain called the basal ganglia. This area plays a vital part in the coordination of muscle movement and assists in the fine-tuning required for voluntary movements such as riding a bike or walking. It is thought that the fault probably lies with chemical messengers – called neurotransmitters – in the basal ganglia that influence muscle movement in all areas of the body. Primary dystonia refers to the lack of identifiable or suspected cause. The term secondary dystonia describes a condition in which the dystonia is thought to have a cause, such as stroke, trauma, a neurological disorder such as Parkinson’s disease, infections or other diseases involving the brain. Dystonia can also occur in association with the use of certain medications such as some psychiatric and anti-nausea medications. The exact cause of dystonia is unknown but research has shown that genetics is a fact
