Dystonia and Related Disorders: From Bench to Bedside

Dear Colleagues,

Dystonia is a neurological syndrome that manifests as repetitive patterned twisting movements or sustained muscle contractions. The precise cause of dystonia remains unknown, and there are no specific diagnostic tests. However, an increasing number of causative genes have been identified via next-generation sequencing, helping to steadily uncover the molecular basis of dystonia. Moreover, efficacy in deep brain stimulation therapy sheds light on dystonia as a disorder in the cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical feedback loop. Recent progress in human neuroimaging study and basic research using optogenetics suggests cerebellar inclusion in dystonia’s pathogenesis. Emerging new technologies are quite useful for clarifying the unknown pathogenesis of dystonia and related disorders.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect review articles and basic, clinical, or epidemiological research studies regarding dystonia and related disorders that will elucidate the current status of our understanding of this disease and promote future development in its treatment.

Dr. Ryoma Morigaki
Dr. Ryosuke Miyamoto
Guest Editors

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