Meige disease: acute and chronic cholinergic effects

We studied central cholinergic systems in 13 patients with idiopathic adult-onset blepharospasm/oromandibular dystonia (Meige syndrome). Six patients studied acutely, and 12 of 13 patients studied chronically, improved after administration of centrally acting anticholinergic agents. These data suggest that Meige syndrome is pharmacologically similar to other dystonic disorders, in which central cholinergic antagonism is more consistently of benefit than manipulation of central dopaminergic systems.