Seeking Persons with Focal Hand Dystonia

The National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disoders & Stroke is sponsoring a research study on the effect of non-invasive electrical stimulation (transcranial electrical polarization or TEP) on the symptoms of focal hand dystonia (writer's cramp). TEP or mock (placebo) stimulation will be delivered to the area of the brain that controls hand movements during three outpatient sessions each lasting 1-2 hours over a one-week period. Volunteers must refrain from alcoholic beverages for 24 hours prior to study participation and not have received botulinum toxin within 10 weeks of starting the study.

 

The study is conducted at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. There is no cost for participation. Volunteers will be compensated for research-related travel expenses and receive a reimbursement.

 

Inclusion Criteria:

-- Presence of focal hand dystonia or writer's cramp

-- Age 18 or older

 

Exclusion Criteria:

-- Any serious medical, surgical, neurological, or psychiatric conditions

-- History of epilepsy or drugs that could increase the risk of seizure

-- Presence of a pacemaker, implanted surgical pump, metal plate or metal object in the skull or eye (anything other than dental applicances or fillings)

-- Secondary hand dystonia

-- Pregnancy

 

For more information, please all Elaine Considine, RN at 301-435-8518 and refer to Protocol 05-N-0122.