Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Studies of Dystonia
Completed
Conditions studied: Dystonic Disorder, Healthy
In brief
This study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine how the brain controls muscle movement in focal and generalized types of dystonia. Dystonia is a movement disorder in which involuntary muscle contractions cause uncontrolled twisting or abnormal postures. Dystonia may be focal, involving just one region of the body, such as the hand, neck or face. Focal dystonia usually begins in adulthood. Generalized dystonia, on the other hand, generally begins in childhood or adolescence. Symptoms begin in one area and then become more widespread. Healthy normal volunteers and patients with focal or generalized dystonia 8 years of age and older may be eligible for this study. First-degree relatives of patients will also be enrolled. In transcranial magnetic stimulation, an insulated wire coil is placed on the subject's scalp and brief electrical currents are passed through the coil, creating magnetic pulses that pass into the brain. These pulses generate very small electrical currents in the cortex-the outer part of the brain-briefly disrupting the function of the brain cells in the stimulated area. The stimulation may cause muscle twitching or tingling in the scalp, face and limbs. During the stimulation, the subject will be asked to either keep the hand relaxed or to slightly tense certain muscles in the hand or arm. The test will last about 1.5 hours. The cause of dystonia is unknown. It is hoped that a comparison of brain activity in normal volunteers, patients and their relatives not affected by dystonia will help scientists learn why some people develop dystonic movements.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT00017875
- Run by
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
- People needed
- 120
- Starts
- 2001-06-01
- Expected to finish
- 2005-07-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2008-03-04
Who can join
Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may not qualify if…
- The exclusion criteria for this study include subjects who have a pacemaker, an implanted medication pump, a metal plate in the skull, metal objects inside the eye or skull (for example, after brain surgery or a shrapnel wound) or any recent (less than 3 months) brain lesions.
Where it is running
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) — Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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