Program in Physical Therapy, University of Minnesota, MN 55455, USA.
Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2012;30(3):247-54. doi: 10.3233/RNN-2012-110183.
The pathophysiology of focal hand dystonia (FHD) is not clearly understood. Previous studies have reported increased and decreased cortical activity associated with motor tasks. The aim of this study was to investigate blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal changes in functional magnetic resonance imaging within the hand area of primary motor cortex during cued movement of individual digits.
Eight healthy individuals and five individuals with right hand FHD participated. Beta weight contrasts were examined within the hand area of the motor cortex.
In both groups, BOLD signal changes in the hemisphere contralateral to the moving hand were greater in the left hemisphere than the right. Between groups, no difference was found during control of the left hand, but a significant difference was seen during right hand movement; specifically, individuals with dystonia showed increased contralateral and decreased ipsilateral cortical response associated with the affected hand as compared to healthy individuals. This suggests a similar, albeit exaggerated pattern of activation in individuals with FHD on the affected side.
These results suggest different levels of ipsilateral and contralateral activation between healthy and dystonic individuals but also show a relative difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic control within the patient population.
局限性手部肌张力障碍（FHD）的病理生理学尚不清楚。先前的研究报告了与运动任务相关的皮质活动增加和减少。本研究旨在研究在个体手指提示运动期间初级运动皮层手部区域的功能磁共振成像中与血氧水平依赖（BOLD）信号变化。
8 名健康个体和 5 名右侧手部 FHD 患者参与了该研究。在运动皮层的手部区域内检查了β权重对比。
在两组中，对侧运动手的大脑半球的 BOLD 信号变化在左侧大于右侧。在两组之间，在控制左手时未发现差异，但在控制右手运动时发现了差异；具体来说，与健康个体相比，患有肌张力障碍的个体在受影响的手上表现出与受影响的手相关的对侧增加和同侧皮质反应减少。这表明在受影响的一侧，FHD 患者的激活模式相似，但更为夸张。
这些结果表明健康个体和肌张力障碍个体之间存在同侧和对侧激活水平的不同，但也显示了患者人群中症状性和无症状性对照之间的相对差异。
