Task-Specific Dystonia in Professional Musicians

Abstract

The Bradford Hill causality criteria indicate that intensive playing is related to the development of musician's dystonia. In particular, the association of the type of instrument with the site of dystonia supports this thesis. The findings imply that task-specific dystonia in professional musicians should be included in the list of occupational diseases in Germany.

Aberrant cortical excitability reflects the loss of hand dexterity in musician's dystonia

“…; Quartarone & Hallett, ), who perform repetitive and precise motor actions over a prolonged period (Rozanski et al . ). Previous behavioural studies have characterized impairments of hand motor dexterity due to FTSD.…”

“…Focal task-specific dystonia (FTSD) is one form of this heterogeneous disorder that affects specific body parts and compromises motor dexterity primarily during performance of specific motor tasks. FTSD typically develops in trained professionals, such as writers, golfers, surgeons and musicians (Jankovic & Ashoori, 2008;Altenmüller et al 2012;Mohammadi et al 2012;Quartarone & Hallett, 2013), who perform repetitive and precise motor actions over a prolonged period (Rozanski et al 2015). Previous behavioural studies have characterized impairments of hand motor dexterity due to FTSD.…”

Task specific dystonia – a patients’ perspective

“…22 A vulnerability has been shown in musicians who start playing intensively and at a young age. 23 However, there are mixed opinions in the literature with reports that musicians who start practising after the age of 10 years are at much higher risk of developing dystonia. 24 ,25 Both depression and anxiety were within the top five most reported co-morbidities within our survey respondents.…”

Was ist Musikermedizin? Und wie wird man MusikermedizinerIn?

“…Und dabei bestand kein Schmerz, nur das Gefühl eines schweren ‚Klumpens' im Mund." Derartige dystone feinmotorische Störungen der Hand-oder Ansatzmuskulatur (auch als "Musikerkrampf" bezeichnet) werden seit wenigen Jahren als Berufskrankheit (Fokale Dystonie bei professionellen Instrumentalmusikern durch feinmotorische Tätigkeit hoher Intensität) anerkannt [32]. Sie werden im neurologischen Beitrag dieses Themenheftes vorgestellt.…”