Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Since the 1960s, the pathophysiology of dystonia has been primarily attributed to dysfunction of the basal ganglia and their associated pathways. However, growing evidence from both basic and clinical research has highlighted the additional importance of the cerebellum, suggesting that dystonia arises from a motor-network dysfunction involving not only the basal ganglia, but also the cerebellum. Neuroimaging studies reinforce this concept, revealing structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebellum and its afferent pathways in patients with dystonia. Moreover, the dual involvement of the cerebellum and basal ganglia may help explain the frequent co-occurrence of dystonia in patients with ataxia and vice versa. The present review aims to integrate evidence from pathophysiology, clinical studies, genetics, and neuroimaging to underscore the crucial role of the cerebellum in the genesis of dystonia.
Source: Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
Institution: Universidade Federal do Paraná
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $200
OpenAlex ID: W7116965366