Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Alterations in Muscle Tone ll01:12

Alterations in Muscle Tone ll

Alterations in muscle tone are common manifestations of neurological disorders and reflect dysfunction within different nervous system regions. Spasticity, paratonia, and dystonia represent distinct forms of hypertonia, each with unique mechanisms, clinical features, and diagnostic importance.CharacteristicsSpasticity happens from upper motor neuron lesions and is characterized by velocity-dependent resistance to passive movement. Clinical features include:Exaggerated deep tendon reflexesClonus...
Alterations in Muscle Tone lll01:11

Alterations in Muscle Tone lll

Rigidity and myotonia are distinct abnormalities of muscle tone that affect resistance and relaxation during movement. Although both involve altered muscle contraction, they arise from different neurological and muscular mechanisms.CharacteristicsRigidity is characterized by uniform resistance to passive movement across the entire range, independent of speed, affecting flexors and extensors equally. It may appear as lead-pipe rigidity (smooth, constant resistance) or cogwheel rigidity...
Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin01:26

Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin

Directly acting muscle relaxants like dantrolene and botulinum toxin (BoNT) have distinct mechanisms and applications. Dantrolene, a hydantoin derivative, acts on the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) in skeletal muscle cells. RYR1 are calcium channels present at the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In response to excitation, they release calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. Calcium promotes actin-myosin-mediated contraction of muscles.
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
Parkinson's Disease: Overview01:15

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is to...
Huntington Disease l: Introduction01:21

Huntington Disease l: Introduction

Huntington disease or HD is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern.PathophysiologyIt is caused by expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat in the HTT gene on chromosome 4 (4p16.3), producing an abnormal huntingtin protein with an expanded polyglutamine tract. This misfolded protein disrupts cellular function, leading to neuronal death. Normal alleles have ≤26 repeats, 27–35 are intermediate (risk of expansion), 36–39 show reduced penetrance,...
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction01:24

Parkinson Disease l: Introduction

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement. It is characterized by motor symptoms such as resting tremors, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability. Patients may notice hand tremors at rest, stiffness during movement, or a shuffling gait. In addition to motor features, non-motor symptoms include sleep disturbances, mood and behavioral changes, constipation, and cognitive impairment, all of which...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Longitudinal Dynamics of Polyglutamine-Expanded ATXN3 in Biofluids of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same author

At Death's Door: Cytosolic Dopamine in Patients With Parkinson Disease.

Neurology·2026
Same author

Segmental and Multifocal Isolated Dystonias: Similarities and Differences.

Movement disorders clinical practice·2025
Same author

Mouse Gnal transcripts and transcriptomics in isolated dystonia.

Research square·2025
Same author

Genetic Diversity and Expanded Phenotypes in Dystonia: Insights From Large-Scale Exome Sequencing.

Annals of clinical and translational neurology·2025
Same author

<i>ATP1A3</i>-Associated Paroxysmal Dystonia.

Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Measurement &amp; Analysis of the Temporal Discrimination Threshold Applied to Cervical Dystonia
10:05

Measurement & Analysis of the Temporal Discrimination Threshold Applied to Cervical Dystonia

Published on: January 27, 2018

Dystonia: phenomenology.

Mark S LeDoux1

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. mledoux@uthsc.edu

Parkinsonism & Related Disorders
|December 15, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Dystonia is a clinical diagnosis characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. While primary dystonias are often mobile, fixed dystonias can indicate other conditions, and pain is a common symptom across various dystonia types.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Movement Disorders

Background:

  • Dystonia, defined in 1984, is a syndrome of involuntary, sustained muscle contractions causing abnormal postures and movements.
  • Despite advancements, dystonia remains a clinical diagnosis, primarily categorized into primary and secondary forms.
  • Primary dystonias are typically mobile and may be task-specific, while fixed dystonias can be psychogenic or a consequence of untreated dystonia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical characteristics and diagnostic criteria of dystonia.
  • To differentiate between primary and secondary dystonia and discuss associated features.
  • To highlight the sensory aspects, including pain and sensory tricks, in dystonia.

Main Methods:

  • Review of the existing literature and clinical definitions of dystonia.

More Related Videos

Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia
10:41

Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia

Published on: September 12, 2020

Induction and Assessment of Levodopa-induced Dyskinesias in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease
05:51

Induction and Assessment of Levodopa-induced Dyskinesias in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Published on: October 14, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Measurement &amp; Analysis of the Temporal Discrimination Threshold Applied to Cervical Dystonia
10:05

Measurement & Analysis of the Temporal Discrimination Threshold Applied to Cervical Dystonia

Published on: January 27, 2018

Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia
10:41

Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia

Published on: September 12, 2020

Induction and Assessment of Levodopa-induced Dyskinesias in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease
05:51

Induction and Assessment of Levodopa-induced Dyskinesias in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Published on: October 14, 2021

  • Analysis of phenotypic manifestations, onset, and progression of primary dystonias.
  • Examination of associated symptoms such as tremor, pain, and sensory tricks.

    • Main Results:

    • Dystonia is diagnosed clinically, with primary forms manifesting as the sole neurological sign (tremor may be present).
    • Late-onset focal dystonias, like blepharospasm, can spread, and spontaneous remissions occur.
    • Pain is a significant feature, particularly in cervical, masticatory, and hand-forearm dystonias, and blepharospasm.

    Conclusions:

    • Dystonia can be understood as a clinical sign or a broader sensorimotor syndrome.
    • The diagnosis relies on clinical presentation, with variations in mobility, task specificity, and associated symptoms.
    • Sensory phenomena, including pain, are integral to the patient experience across different dystonia subtypes.