Options
Cervical dystonia: A disorder of the midbrain network for covert attentional orienting
Date Issued
2014-04-28
Date Available
2015-01-15T13:10:51Z
Abstract
While the pathogenesis of cervical dystonia remains unknown, recent animal and clinical experimental studies have indicated its probable mechanisms. Abnormal temporal discrimination is a mediational endophenotype of cervical dystonia and informs new concepts of disease pathogenesis. Our hypothesis is that both abnormal temporal discrimination and cervical dystonia are due to a disorder of the midbrain network for covert attentional orienting caused by reduced gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibition, resulting, in turn, from as yet undetermined, genetic mutations. Such disinhibition is (a) subclinically manifested by abnormal temporal discrimination due to prolonged duration firing of the visual sensory neurons in the superficial laminae of the superior colliculus and (b) clinically manifested by cervical dystonia due to disinhibited burst activity of the cephalomotor neurons of the intermediate and deep laminae of the superior colliculus. Abnormal temporal discrimination in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with cervical dystonia represents a subclinical manifestation of defective GABA activity both within the superior colliculus and from the substantia nigra pars reticulata. A number of experiments are required to prove or disprove this hypothesis.
Sponsorship
Health Research Board
Other Sponsorship
Dystonia Ireland
Irish Institute for Clinical Neuroscience
Clinical Scientist Award
Foundation for Dystonia Research
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
Frontiers
Journal
Frontiers in Neurology
Volume
5
Issue
54
Copyright (Published Version)
2014 the Authors
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
File(s)
Loading...
Name
2014_Hutchinson_2014_CD_&_covert_attentional_orienting.pdf
Size
1.17 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
b3fe969be6ca9e18c3eefa228cd60290
Owning collection