Protocol Number: 02-N-0010

Title:

EEG Study of Movement-Related Center-Surround Organization in Hand Dystonia

Number:

02-N-0010

Summary:

This study will examine how the brain operates during execution and control of voluntary movement and what goes wrong with these processes in disease. It will use electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) to compare brain function in normal subjects and in patients with focal hand dystonia. In dystonia, involuntary muscle movements, or spasms, cause uncontrolled twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal postures. Focal dystonia involves just one region of the body, such as the hand, neck or face.

EEG measures the electrical activity of the brain. The activity is recorded using wire electrodes attached to the scalp or mounted on a Lycra cap placed on the head. EMG measures electrical activity from muscles. It uses wire electrodes placed on the skin over the muscles.

Adult healthy normal volunteers and patients with focal hand dystonia may be eligible for this study. Patients will be selected from NINDS's dystonia patient database.

Participants will sit in a semi-reclining chair in a darkened room and be asked to move either their right index finger, right foot, or the angle of their mouth on the right side at a rate of one movement every 10 seconds. Brain and muscle activity will be measured during this task with EEG and EMG recordings.

Sponsoring Institute:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Recruitment Detail

Type: Participants currently recruited/enrolled

Gender: Male & Female

Referral Letter Required: No

Population Exclusion(s): Children

Eligibility Criteria:

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

The study population will consist of (a) healthy volunteers; and (b) patients with focal hand dystonia.

Healthy subjects: Healthy volunteers who consented to participate in the study.

Patients diagnosed with focal hand dystonia: unilateral focal hand dystonia from our dystonia patient database who consented to participate in the study.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Healthy subjects: abnormal neurological exam or history of past neurological disease.

Dystonia patients: the presence of a second neurological disease or condition; abnormal neurological findings on exam that are not related to their focal hand dystonia.

For MRI studies, patients with metallic implants will be excluded to remove potential risks from this procedure.

For MRI purposes, women who are pregnant are excluded from this part of the protocol. Therefore, all women of childbearing potential will have a pregnancy test performed prior to prospective MRI studies, which must be negative, before proceeding.

For TMS studies, healthy volunteers or focal hand dystonia patients who have a pacemaker, an implanted medical pump, a metal plate or metal object in the skull or eye (for example, after brain surgery), or who have a history of seizure disorder will be excluded from the trial.

Special Instructions:

Currently Not Provided

Keywords:

Cortex

Inhibition

Motor Control

Event-Related Synchronization

Event-Related Desynchronization

Recruitment Keyword(s):

Focal Hand Dystonia

Focal Dystonia

Dystonia

Hand

Healthy Volunteer

HV

Condition(s):

Focal Dystonia

Investigational Drug(s):

None

Investigational Device(s):

None

Intervention(s):

None

Supporting Site:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Contact(s):

Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Building 61
10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754
Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free)
Fax: 301-480-9793

Electronic Mail:prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov

Citation(s):

Abnormal somatosensory homunculus in dystonia of the hand

Reorganization of somatosensory area 3b representations in adult owl monkeys after digital syndactyly

Abnormalities of sensorimotor integration in focal dystonia: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study

• Questions about participating in a study, please contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, CC.
• Technical questions regarding the Clinical Center web site, please contact the Department of Clinical Research Informatics, CC.

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