Voxel based morphometry reveals specific gray matter changes in primary dystonia

The present study assessed patterns of brain tissue alterations in different types of primary dystonia using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Nine patients with primary generalized dystonia (GD), 11 patients with primary cervical dystonia (CD), and 11 patients with primary focal hand dystonia (FHD) as well as 31 age and gender-matched controls were included. When compared with healthy controls, patients with primary dystonia (n=31) showed gray matter volume increase bilaterally in the globus pallidus internus, nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, as well as unilaterally in the left inferior parietal lobe. This is the first study using VBM in patients with different types of primary dystonia, showing a common pattern of gray matter changes.