[Clinico-physiological analysis of cranial dystonia]

To study afferent and efferent mechanisms of both pathogenesis and forming of the symptoms of dystonia a clinical-electrophysiologic examination was performed in 22 aged 35-69 years patients with cranial dystonia. A wide range of different factors in anamnesis of the patients was found, that had had either short or long influence on the facial zone and that had preceded the development of cranial dystonia (2 month-5 years before its rise). This was called by the authors the peripheral factor of dystonia pathogenesis. This peripheral factor may have a starting and maintaining role in pathogenesis of dystonia. The results of electrophysiologic studies (electromyography, method of dermal sympathetic potentials, registration of abdominal reflexes) suggest the presence of diffuse hyperactivity of interneuronal apparatus on different levels of brain stem being, probably, an efferent link in both pathogenesis and symptoms of dystonia as a whole and cranial dystonia, in particular. The conclusion is made that a removal of the peripheral factor as a stable link of pathogenesis of cranial dystonia together with the influence on the efferent link of pathogenesis may be a new aspect in therapy of this disease.