Alleviating manoeuvres (sensory tricks) in cervical dystonia

• Authors: Neepa Patel, University of Texas Southwestern; John Hanfelt, Emory University; Laura Marsh, Baylor College of Medicine; Joseph Jankovic, Baylor College of Medicine
• Journal Title: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
• Volume: Volume 85, Number 8
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group | 2014-08-01, Pages 882-884
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2013-307316
• Subjects: Health Sciences, General; Health Sciences, Rehabilitation and Therapy; Biology, Neuroscience
• Keywords: Neurology

Abstract

Background: There is limited information on the phenomenology, clinical characteristics and pathophysiology of alleviating manoeuvres (AM), also called ‘sensory tricks’ in cervical dystonia (CD). Methods: Individual data, collected from 10 sites participating in the Dystonia Coalition (http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01373424), included description of localisation and phenomenology of AM collected by systematic review of standardised video examinations. Analyses correlated demographic, neurologic, and psychiatric features of CD patients with or without effective AM. Results: Of 154 people studied, 138 (89.6%) used AM, of which 60 (43.4%) reported partial improvement, 55 (39.8%) marked improvement, and 4 (0.03%) no effect on dystonic posture. Light touch, usually to the lower face or neck, was used by >90%. The presence or location of AM did not correlate with the severity of the dystonia. Conclusions: In this large and comprehensive study of CD, we found no clinical predictors of effective AM. Further studies of sensorimotor integration in dystonia are needed to better understand the pathophysiology of AM.