Temporal discrimination threshold and blink reflex recovery cycle in cervical dystonia – two sides of the same coin?

Junker, Johanna; Paulus, Theresa; Brandt, Valerie; Weissbach, Anne; Tunc, Sinem; Loens, Sebastian; Reilly, Richard B.; Hutchinson, Michael; Bäumer, Tobias

doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2019.09.028

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Beside dystonia affecting the head, neck and shoulder muscles as well as action induced tremors, there are numerous non-motor deficits in CD (Kuyper et al 2011 ). These include sensory abnormalities, such as pain (Tinazzi et al 2019 ), sensory tricks (Sarasso et al 2020 ), altered temporal and spatial discrimination (Junker et al 2019 ; Conte et al 2019 ) and impaired temperature detection threshold (Paracka et al 2017 ). Furthermore, there are mild neuropsychological deficits (such as deficits of memory, verbal fluency and executive functioning) as well as psychiatric alterations (such as depression and anxiety) (Kuyper et al 2011 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smell and taste in cervical dystonia

et al. 2020

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The pathophysiology of cervical dystonia is not completely understood. Current concepts of the pathophysiology propose that it is a network disorder involving the basal ganglia, cerebellum and sensorimotor cortex. These structures are primarily concerned with sensorimotor control but are also involved in non-motor functioning such as the processing of information related to the chemical senses. This overlap lets us hypothesize a link between cervical dystonia and altered sense of smell and taste. To prove this hypothesis and to contribute to the better understanding of cervical dystonia, we assessed olfactory and gustatory functioning in 40 adults with idiopathic cervical dystonia and 40 healthy controls. The Sniffin Sticks were used to assess odor threshold, discrimination and identification. Furthermore, the Taste Strips were applied to assess the combined taste score. Motor and non-motor deficits of cervical dystonia including neuropsychological and psychiatric alterations were assessed as cofactors for regression analyses. We found that cervical dystonia subjects had lower scores than healthy controls for odor threshold (5.8 ± 2.4 versus 8.0 ± 3.2; p = 0.001), odor identification (11.7 ± 2.3 versus 13.1 ± 1.3; p = 0.001) and the combined taste score (9.5 ± 2.2 versus 11.7 ± 2.7; p < 0.001), while no difference was found in odor discrimination (12.0 ± 2.5 versus 12.9 ± 1.8; p = 0.097). Regression analysis suggests that age is the main predictor for olfactory decline in subjects with cervical dystonia. Moreover, performance in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment is a predictor for gustatory decline in cervical dystonia subjects. Findings propose that cervical dystonia is associated with diminished olfactory and gustatory functioning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smell and taste in cervical dystonia

et al. 2020

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“…Clinical judgement should guide the decision on diagnostic testing, based on neurological assessment. Neurophysiological studies on iCD have shown increased muscle-muscle coherence, 66 abnormal temporal discrimination threshold, and blink reflex recovery curve, 67 but their value as endophenotypic markers has not been ascertained. Attempts to identify iCD subtypes based on neurophysiology have not been successful to date.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolated Cervical Dystonia: Diagnosis and Classification

et al. 2023

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This document presents a consensus on the diagnosis and classification of isolated cervical dystonia (iCD) with a review of proposed terminology. The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Dystonia Study Group convened a panel of experts to review the main clinical and diagnostic issues related to iCD and to arrive at a consensus on diagnostic criteria and classification. These criteria are intended for use in clinical research, but also may be used to guide clinical practice. The benchmark is expert clinical observation and evaluation. The criteria aim to systematize the use of terminology as well as the diagnostic process, to make it reproducible across centers and applicable by expert and non‐expert clinicians. Although motor abnormalities remain central, increasing recognition has been given to nonmotor manifestations, which are incorporated into the current criteria. Three iCD presentations are described in some detail: idiopathic (focal or segmental) iCD, genetic iCD, and acquired iCD. The relationship between iCD and isolated head tremor is also reviewed. Recognition of idiopathic iCD has two levels of certainty, definite or probable, supported by specific diagnostic criteria. Although a probable diagnosis is appropriate for clinical practice, a higher diagnostic level may be required for specific research studies. The consensus retains elements proven valuable in previous criteria and omits aspects that are no longer justified, thereby encapsulating diagnosis according to current knowledge. As understanding of iCD expands, these criteria will need continuous revision to accommodate new advances. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

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“…The first control group of healthy professional musicians was recruited from orchestras, music schools and universities in Berlin. Data of 12 individuals from the second non-musician control group have been reported previously 28 . Additional eight non-musicians were recruited from hospital staff of the Charité.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing the temporal discrimination threshold in musician’s dystonia

Borngräber

Hoffmann

Paulus

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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The temporal discrimination threshold (TDT) has been established as a biomarker of impaired temporal processing and endophenotype in various forms of focal dystonia patients, such as cervical dystonia, writer’s cramp or blepharospasm. The role of TDT in musician’s dystonia (MD) in contrast is less clear with preceding studies reporting inconclusive results. We therefore compared TDT between MD patients, healthy musicians and non-musician controls using a previously described visual, tactile, and visual-tactile paradigm. Additionally, we compared TDT of the dystonic and non-dystonic hand and fingers in MD patients and further characterized the biomarker regarding its potential influencing factors, i.e. musical activity, disease variables, and personality profiles. Repeated measures ANOVA and additional Bayesian analyses revealed lower TDT in healthy musicians compared to non-musicians. However, TDTs in MD patients did not differ from both healthy musicians and non-musicians, although pairwise Bayesian t-tests indicated weak evidence for group differences in both comparisons. Analyses of dystonic and non-dystonic hands and fingers revealed no differences. While in healthy musicians, age of first instrumental practice negatively correlated with visual-tactile TDTs, TDTs in MD patients did not correlate with measures of musical activity, disease variables or personality profiles. In conclusion, TDTs in MD patients cannot reliably be distinguished from healthy musicians and non-musicians and are neither influenced by dystonic manifestation, musical activity, disease variables nor personality profiles. Unlike other isolated focal dystonias, TDT seems not to be a reliable biomarker in MD.

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Temporal discrimination threshold and blink reflex recovery cycle in cervical dystonia – two sides of the same coin?

Abstract: Number of references: 13 (> 12) Number of figures: 2 (<=2)

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

Smell and taste in cervical dystonia

Smell and taste in cervical dystonia

Isolated Cervical Dystonia: Diagnosis and Classification

Characterizing the temporal discrimination threshold in musician’s dystonia

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