Cause

Categorizing dystonia by the cause is not a simple task and can easily get complicated. The DMRF often states in publications that we don't know the cause of dystonia because scientists have not yet identified the precise biochemical process in the body that triggers the symptoms. This is often referred to as the "mechanism" of dystonia, and it is suspected that this mechanism is common to all forms of dystonia.

On the other hand, we do know that dystonia can occur as a result of trauma, certain medications, and mutated genes. So, we may say that the mutated DYT1 gene or physical trauma cause dystonia, but these explanations do not address the true origin of the dystonia and what happens inside the body to produce the symptoms.

When describing dystonia by the cause, it may be characterized as primary, secondary, or dystonia-plus.

Email this page     Print this page