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Lee CW, Krüger MT, Akram H, Zrinzo L, Rubin J, Birchall MA, Fishman JM. Central Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Laryngeal Dystonia: An Up-to-Date Review. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(24)00217-0. [PMID: 39138040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Laryngeal dystonia (LD), previously termed spasmodic dysphonia, is an isolated focal dystonia that involves involuntary, uncontrolled contractions of the laryngeal muscles during speech. It is a severely disabling condition affecting patients' work and social lives through prevention of normal speech production. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of LD and available therapeutic options are currently limited. The aim of this short review is to provide an up-to-date summary of what is known about the central mechanisms and the pathophysiology of LD. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed searching Embase, CINHAL, Medline, and Cochrane with the cover period January 1990-October 2023 with a search strategy (("Laryngeal dystonia" OR "Spasmodic dysphonia") AND ("Central Mechanism" OR "Pathophysiology")). Original studies involving LD patients that discussed central mechanisms and/or pathophysiology of LD were chosen. RESULTS Two hundred twenty-six articles were identified of which 27 articles were included to formulate this systematic review following the screening inclusion and exclusion criteria. LD is a central neurological disorder involving a multiregional altered neural network. Affected neural circuits not only involve the motor control circuit, but also the feedforward, and the feedback circuits of the normal speech production neural network, involving higher-order planning, somatosensory perception and integration regions of the brain. CONCLUSION Speech production is a complex process, and LD is a central neurological disorder involving multiregional neural network connectivity alteration reflecting this. Neuromodulation targeting the central nervous system could therefore be considered and explored as a new potential therapeutic option for LD in the future, and should assist in elucidating the underlying central mechanisms responsible for causing the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Woo Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK.
| | - Marie T Krüger
- Department of Neurosurgery, UCL Functional Neurosurgery Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK; Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Harith Akram
- Department of Neurosurgery, UCL Functional Neurosurgery Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Ludvic Zrinzo
- Department of Neurosurgery, UCL Functional Neurosurgery Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - John Rubin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Royal National ENT Voice Centre, The Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Martin A Birchall
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Royal National ENT Voice Centre, The Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Jonathan M Fishman
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Royal National ENT Voice Centre, The Royal National ENT Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
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Asya O, Kavak ÖT, Özden HÖ, Günal D, Enver N. Demographic and clinical characteristics of our patients diagnosed with laryngeal dystonia. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 281:4265-4271. [PMID: 38710818 PMCID: PMC11266236 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-024-08688-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is a focal dystonia affecting laryngeal musculature with no known etiology or cure. The present study evaluated the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients diagnosed with LD. MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients diagnosed with LD at our University Hospital's Ear, Nose, and Throat Department between January 2017 and July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The study included 43 patients. RESULTS Out of the 43 patients, 19 (44%) were male. At the time of diagnosis, the mean age of the patients was 35.1 years (ranging from 17 to 65 years). The mean elapsed time between the first symptom onset and the first diagnosis was 49.2 months (min. 4 months, max. 240 months). Of the participants, 94% had adductor-type LD. None of the patients had a family history of LD. Of the patients, 9 (20%) experienced a life-altering event or trauma just before the onset of symptoms. All patients who consumed alcohol reported symptom relief with alcohol intake. A total of 67.6% of patients stated that their symptoms were triggered by stress. All of our patients received at least one Botulinum toxin injection, with an average of 2.75 dosages per patient. CONCLUSION The gender distribution was approximately equitable between males and females. There was a tendency for men to receive a diagnosis earlier than women following the manifestation of symptoms. A significant number of patients associate the emergence of their symptoms with a stressful event or traumatic experience. This study represents the initial investigation into the sociodemographic characteristics of patients within the Turkish population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orhan Asya
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, 34899, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ömer Tarık Kavak
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, 34899, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Hatice Ömercikoğlu Özden
- Department of Neurology, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, 34899, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Dilek Günal
- Department of Neurology, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, 34899, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Necati Enver
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, 34899, Istanbul, Turkey
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Cai H, Dong J, Mei L, Feng G, Li L, Wang G, Yan H. Functional and structural abnormalities of the speech disorders: a multimodal activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae075. [PMID: 38466117 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Speech disorders are associated with different degrees of functional and structural abnormalities. However, the abnormalities associated with specific disorders, and the common abnormalities shown by all disorders, remain unclear. Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to integrate the results of 70 studies that compared 1843 speech disorder patients (dysarthria, dysphonia, stuttering, and aphasia) to 1950 healthy controls in terms of brain activity, functional connectivity, gray matter, and white matter fractional anisotropy. The analysis revealed that compared to controls, the dysarthria group showed higher activity in the left superior temporal gyrus and lower activity in the left postcentral gyrus. The dysphonia group had higher activity in the right precentral and postcentral gyrus. The stuttering group had higher activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and lower activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus. The aphasia group showed lower activity in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus. Across the four disorders, there were concurrent lower activity, gray matter, and fractional anisotropy in motor and auditory cortices, and stronger connectivity between the default mode network and frontoparietal network. These findings enhance our understanding of the neural basis of speech disorders, potentially aiding clinical diagnosis and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Cai
- Key Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Neuroscience of Language, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an 710128, China
| | - Jie Dong
- Key Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Neuroscience of Language, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an 710128, China
| | - Leilei Mei
- Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University); School of Psychology; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Genyi Feng
- Imaging Department, Xi'an GEM Flower Changqing Hospital, Xi'an 710201, China
| | - Lili Li
- Speech Language Therapy Department, Shaanxi Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital, Xi'an 710065, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Imaging Department, Xi'an GEM Flower Changqing Hospital, Xi'an 710201, China
| | - Hao Yan
- Key Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Neuroscience of Language, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an 710128, China
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Leung JS, Rosenbaum A, Holmberg J, Villarroel P, Napolitano C, Badía PI, Lagos-Villaseca A. Improved vocal quality and decreased vocal effort after botulinum toxin treatment for laryngeal dystonia. Auris Nasus Larynx 2024; 51:106-112. [PMID: 37365040 DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is characterized by irregular and involuntary task-specific spasms of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. There is no curative treatment for it, however, laryngeal botulinum neurotoxin injections (BoNT-I) are considered the standard of care therapy. This study aims to characterize the population of LD patients and to assess the results of laryngeal BoNT-I. METHODS A Retrospective cohort study was conducted. Medical records were reviewed for all the patients with LD diagnosis seen in the Voice Unit of the Red de Salud UCChristus between January 2013 and October 2021. Biodemographic, clinical and treatment data were collected. Additionally, a telephonic survey was completed by the patients that underwent laryngeal BoNT-I, including self-reported voice outcomes and Voice Handicap Index 10 (VHI-10). RESULTS Of the 34 patients with LD included in the study, 23 received a total of 93 laryngeal BoNT-I and 19 completed the telephone survey. The majority (97%) of the injections corresponded to patients with adductor LD and 3% to abductor LD. Patients received a median of 3 (1-17) injections, with a more frequent cricothyroid approach (94.4%), while the thyrohyoid approach accounted for 5.6% of cases. Most injections were bilateral (96.8%). A significant improvement in the vocal quality and effort was noted after the last injection and the overall BoNT-I treatment (P < 0.001). Similarly, the VHI-10 score improved from a median of 31 (7-40) to 2 (0-19) (P < 0.001) after the last injection. A post-treatment breathy voice was reported in 95% of patients, and dysphagia to liquids and solids in 68% and 21%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Laryngeal BoNT-I is an effective treatment for LD, achieving an improvement in self-reported vocal quality and VHI-10 scores, and a reduction of the self-reported vocal effort. Adverse effects are mild in the majority of cases, constituting a safe and effective therapy for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai-Sen Leung
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Andrés Rosenbaum
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Jorge Holmberg
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Pablo Villarroel
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Carla Napolitano
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Pedro I Badía
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Antonia Lagos-Villaseca
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Diagonal Paraguay 362, Otorrinolaringología, Santiago Centro, Santiago 8330077, Chile.
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Rogić Vidaković M, Šoda J, Kuluva JE, Bošković B, Dolić K, Gunjača I. Exploring Neurophysiological Mechanisms and Treatment Efficacies in Laryngeal Dystonia: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Approach. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1591. [PMID: 38002550 PMCID: PMC10669610 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal dystonia (LD), known or termed as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare movement disorder with an unknown cause affecting the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Neurophysiological studies point to perturbed inhibitory processes, while conventional genetic studies reveal fragments of genetic architecture in LD. The study's aims are to (1) describe transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) methodology for studying the functional integrity of the corticospinal tract by stimulating the primary motor cortex (M1) for laryngeal muscle representation and recording motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from laryngeal muscles; (2) evaluate the results of TMS studies investigating the cortical silent period (cSP) in LD; and (3) present the standard treatments of LD, as well as the results of new theoretical views and treatment approaches like repetitive TMS and laryngeal vibration over the laryngeal muscles as the recent research attempts in treatment of LD. Neurophysiological findings point to a shortened duration of cSP in adductor LD and altered cSP duration in abductor LD individuals. Future TMS studies could further investigate the role of cSP in relation to standard laryngological measures and treatment options. A better understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms might give new perspectives for the treatment of LD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Rogić Vidaković
- Laboratory for Human and Experimental Neurophysiology, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Joško Šoda
- Signal Processing, Analysis and Advanced Diagnostics Research and Education Laboratory (SPAADREL), Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | | | - Braco Bošković
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Krešimir Dolić
- Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Ivana Gunjača
- Department of Biology and Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
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Ehrlich SK, Battistella G, Simonyan K. Temporal Signature of Task-Specificity in Isolated Focal Laryngeal Dystonia. Mov Disord 2023; 38:1925-1935. [PMID: 37489600 PMCID: PMC10615685 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is focal task-specific dystonia, predominantly affecting speech but not whispering or emotional vocalizations. Prior neuroimaging studies identified brain regions forming a dystonic neural network and contributing to LD pathophysiology. However, the underlying temporal dynamics of these alterations and their contribution to the task-specificity of LD remain largely unknown. The objective of the study was to identify the temporal-spatial signature of altered cortical oscillations associated with LD pathophysiology. METHODS We used high-density 128-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) recordings during symptomatic speaking and two asymptomatic tasks, whispering and writing, in 24 LD patients and 22 healthy individuals to investigate the spectral dynamics, spatial localization, and interregional effective connectivity of aberrant cortical oscillations within the dystonic neural network, as well as their relationship with LD symptomatology. RESULTS Symptomatic speaking in LD patients was characterized by significantly increased gamma synchronization in the middle/superior frontal gyri, primary somatosensory cortex, and superior parietal lobule, establishing the altered prefrontal-parietal loop. Hyperfunctional connectivity from the left middle frontal gyrus to the right superior parietal lobule was significantly correlated with the age of onset and the duration of LD symptoms. Asymptomatic whisper in LD patients had not no statistically significant changes in any frequency band, whereas asymptomatic writing was characterized by significantly decreased synchronization of beta-band power localized in the right superior frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION Task-specific oscillatory activity of prefrontal-parietal circuitry is likely one of the underlying mechanisms of aberrant heteromodal integration of information processing and transfer within the neural network leading to dystonic motor output. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan K. Ehrlich
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Giovanni Battistella
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology - Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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7
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Martino D. What can epidemiological studies teach on the pathophysiology of adult-onset isolated dystonia? INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 169:21-60. [PMID: 37482393 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Several demographic and environmental factors may play an important role in determining the risk of developing adult-onset isolated dystonia (AOID) and/or modifying its course. However, epidemiologic studies have provided to date only partial insight on the disease mechanisms that are actively influenced by these factors. The age-related increase in female predominance in both patients diagnosed with AOID and subjects carrying its putative mediational phenotype suggests sexual dimorphism that has been demonstrated for mechanisms related to blepharospasm and cervical dystonia. The opposite relationship that spread and spontaneous remission of AOID have with age suggests age-related decline of compensatory mechanisms that protect from the progression of AOID. Epidemiological studies focusing on environmental risk factors yielded associations only with specific forms of AOID, even for those factors that are not likely to predispose exclusively to specific focal forms (for example, only writing dystonia was found associated with head trauma, and only blepharospasm with coffee intake). Other factors show biological plausibility of their mechanistic role for specific forms, e.g., dry eye syndrome or sunlight exposure for blepharospasm, scoliosis for cervical dystonia, repetitive writing for writing dystonia. Overall, the relationship between environment and AOID remains complex and incompletely defined. Both hypothesis-driven preclinical studies and well-designed cross-sectional or prospective clinical studies are still necessary to decipher this intricate relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Martino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Vanderaa V, Vinney LA. Laryngeal Sensory Symptoms in Spasmodic Dysphonia. J Voice 2023; 37:302.e1-302.e12. [PMID: 33485747 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.12.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research was to determine whether an association between laryngeal hypersensitivity (LH) and spasmodic dysphonia (SD) exists using the LH Questionnaire (LHQ). This study also explored the prevalence of self-reported upper respiratory infection (URI) at the time of SD onset across SD phenotypes. METHODS Individuals with and without SD were recruited to complete an online survey measure. All respondents provided demographic information and completed the LHQ. Participants with SD were also asked to provide information about their diagnosed SD subtype and pattern of onset, including whether onset was associated with a URI. The percentage of respondents with and without SD who were classified with LH was determined based on the LHQ. Scores on the LHQ were also compared between the non-SD and the SD groups, as well as between SD phenotypes (adductor SD, abductor SD, and mixed)). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Significant associations were found between ADSD and LH, mixed SD and LH, and URI at time of SD onset and increased severity of LH symptoms. These findings suggest that laryngeal sensory symptoms may potentially contribute to or result from motor spasms in SD and/or have implications for its pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa A Vinney
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois.
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Battistella G, Simonyan K. Clinical Implications of Dystonia as a Neural Network Disorder. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 31:223-240. [PMID: 37338705 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26220-3_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Isolated dystonia is a neurological disorder of diverse etiology, multifactorial pathophysiology, and wide spectrum of clinical presentations. We review the recent neuroimaging advances that led to the conceptualization of dystonia as a neural network disorder and discuss how current knowledge is shaping the identification of biomarkers of dystonia and the development of novel pharmacological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Battistella
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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10
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Yeung W, Richards AL, Novakovic D. Botulinum Neurotoxin Therapy in the Clinical Management of Laryngeal Dystonia. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120844. [PMID: 36548741 PMCID: PMC9784062 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal dystonia (LD), or spasmodic dysphonia (SD), is a chronic, task-specific, focal movement disorder affecting the larynx. It interferes primarily with the essential functions of phonation and speech. LD affects patients' ability to communicate effectively and significantly diminishes their quality of life. Botulinum neurotoxin was first used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of LD four decades ago and remains the standard of care for the treatment of LD. This article provides an overview of the clinical application of botulinum neurotoxin in the management of LD, focusing on the classification for this disorder, its pathophysiology, clinical assessment and diagnosis, the role of laryngeal electromyography and a summary of therapeutic injection techniques, including a comprehensive description of various procedural approaches, recommendations for injection sites and dosage considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winnie Yeung
- Voice Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Otolaryngology, The Canterbury Hospital, Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Amanda L. Richards
- Department of Otolaryngology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
| | - Daniel Novakovic
- Voice Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Otolaryngology, The Canterbury Hospital, Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia
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Frankford SA, Marks KL, Feaster TF, Doyle PC, Stepp CE. Symptom Expression Across Voiced Speech Sounds in Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia. J Voice 2022:S0892-1997(22)00308-3. [PMID: 36424240 PMCID: PMC10199961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Differential diagnosis for adductor laryngeal dystonia (AdLD) is often carried out by comparing symptom expression during sentences with either all voiced or voiced and voiceless consonants. However, empirical research examining the effects of phonetic context on symptoms is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine whether symptom probabilities varied across voiced speech segments in an all-voiced sentence, and whether this variability was systematic with respect to phonetic features. METHODS Eighteen speakers with AdLD read aloud a sentence comprised entirely of voiced speech sounds. Speech segment boundaries and AdLD symptoms (phonatory breaks, frequency shifts, and creak) were labeled separately, and speech segments were coded as symptomatic or asymptomatic based on their temporal overlap. Generalized linear mixed effects models with a binomial outcome variable were used to compare the probability of symptom expression across: 1) all speech segments in the sentence, and 2) four speech sound classes (vowels, approximants, nasals, and obstruents). RESULTS Significant symptom variability was found across voiced speech segments in the sentence. Furthermore, the estimated probability of a symptom occurring on vowels and approximants was significantly greater than that of nasals and obstruents. CONCLUSION These results indicate that AdLD symptoms are not uniformly distributed across voiced speech segments with systematic variation across speech sound classes.To explain these findings, future work should investigate how the complex interactions between the vocal tract articulators and glottal configurations may influence symptom expression in this population.
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Marks KL, Feaster TF, Baker S, Díaz-Cádiz ME, Doyle PC, Stepp CE. Spectral Aggregate of the High-Passed Fundamental Frequency and Its Relationship to the Primary Acoustic Features of Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:4085-4095. [PMID: 36198059 PMCID: PMC9940896 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Currently, no clinically feasible objective measures exist that are specific to the signs of adductor laryngeal dystonia (LD), deterring effective diagnosis and treatment. This project sought to establish concurrent validity of a new automated acoustic outcome measure, designed to be specific to adductor laryngeal dystonia (AdLD): the spectral aggregate of the high-passed fundamental frequency contour (SAHf o). METHOD Twenty speakers with AdLD read voiced phoneme-loaded (more symptomatic) and voiceless phoneme-loaded (less symptomatic) sentences. LD discontinuities (defined as phonatory breaks, frequency shifts, and creak), the acoustic ramifications of laryngeal spasms, were manually identified. The frequency content of the f o contour was examined as a function of time, and content above 1000 Hz was summed to automatically calculate SAHf o. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to SAHf o based on LD discontinuities and sentence type (voiced or voiceless phoneme-loaded). RESULTS The regression model accounted for 41.1% of the variance in SAHf o. Both the LD discontinuities and sentence type were statistically related to SAHf o. CONCLUSION Results of this study provide evidence of concurrent validity. SAHf o is an automatic outcome measure specific to acoustic signs of AdLD that may be useful to track treatment progress.
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O'Flynn LC, Simonyan K. Short- and Long-term Central Action of Botulinum Neurotoxin Treatment in Laryngeal Dystonia. Neurology 2022; 99:e1178-e1190. [PMID: 35764404 PMCID: PMC9536744 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000200850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is isolated task-specific focal dystonia selectively impairing speech production. The first choice of LD treatment is botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections into the affected laryngeal muscles. However, whether BoNT has a lasting therapeutic effect on disorder pathophysiology is unknown. We investigated short-term and long-term effects of BoNT treatment on brain function in patients with LD. METHODS A total of 161 participants were included in the functional MRI study. Statistical analyses examined central BoNT effects in patients with LD who were stratified based on the effectiveness and duration of treatment. RESULTS Patients with LD who were treated and benefited from BoNT injections had reduced activity in the left precuneus compared with BoNT-naive and treatment nonbenefiting patients. In addition, BoNT-treated patients with adductor LD had decreased activity in the right thalamus, whereas BoNT-treated abductor patients with LD had reduced activity in the left inferior frontal cortex. No statistically significant differences in brain activity were found between patients with shorter (1-5 years) and longer (13-28 years) treatment durations. However, patients with intermediate treatment duration of 6-12 years showed reduced activity in the right cerebellum compared with patients with both shorter and longer treatment durations and reduced activity in the right prefrontal cortex compared with patients with shorter treatment duration. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that the left precuneus is the site of short-term BoNT central action in patients with LD, whereas the prefrontal-cerebellar axis is engaged in the BoNT response in patients with intermediate treatment duration of 6-12 years. Involvement of these structures points to indirect action of BoNT treatment on the dystonic sensorimotor network through modulation of motor sequence planning and coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena C O'Flynn
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (L.C.O., K.S.), Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School; Program in Speech Hearing Bioscience and Technology (L.C.O., K.S.), Harvard University; and Department of Neurology (K.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (L.C.O., K.S.), Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School; Program in Speech Hearing Bioscience and Technology (L.C.O., K.S.), Harvard University; and Department of Neurology (K.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
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The Patho-Neurophysiological Basis and Treatment of Focal Laryngeal Dystonia: A Narrative Review and Two Case Reports Applying TMS over the Laryngeal Motor Cortex. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11123453. [PMID: 35743523 PMCID: PMC9224879 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11123453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal laryngeal dystonia (LD) is a rare, idiopathic disease affecting the laryngeal musculature with an unknown cause and clinically presented as adductor LD or rarely as abductor LD. The most effective treatment options include the injection of botulinum toxin (BoNT) into the affected laryngeal muscle. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the patho-neuro-physiological and genetic background of LD, as well as the standard recommended therapy (BoNT) and pharmacological treatment options, and to discuss possible treatment perspectives using neuro-modulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and vibrotactile stimulation. The review will present two LD cases, patients with adductor and abductor LD, standard diagnostic procedure, treatments and achievement, and the results of cortical excitability mapping the primary motor cortex for the representation of the laryngeal muscles in the assessment of corticospinal and corticobulbar excitability.
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Quartarone A, Ghilardi MF. Neuroplasticity in dystonia: Motor symptoms and beyond. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2022; 184:207-218. [PMID: 35034735 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819410-2.00031-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This chapter first focuses on the role of altered neuroplasticity mechanisms and their regulation in the genesis of motor symptoms in the various forms of dystonia. In particular, a review of the available literature about focal dystonia suggests that use-dependent plasticity may become detrimental and produce dystonia when practice and repetition are excessive and predisposing conditions are present. Interestingly, recent evidence also shows that functional or psychogenic dystonia, despite the normal plasticity in the sensorimotor system, is characterized by plasticity-related dysfunction within limbic regions. Finally, this chapter reviews the non-motor symptoms that often accompany the motor features of dystonia, including depression and anxiety as well as obsessive-compulsive disorders, pain, and cognitive dysfunctions. Based on the current understanding of these symptoms, we discuss the evidence of their possible relationship to maladaptive plasticity in non-motor basal ganglia circuits involved in their genesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Quartarone
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
| | - Maria Felice Ghilardi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, City University of New York School of Medicine and Neuroscience Program, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
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Simonyan K, Barkmeier-Kraemer J, Blitzer A, Hallett M, Houde JF, Jacobson Kimberley T, Ozelius LJ, Pitman MJ, Richardson RM, Sharma N, Tanner K. Laryngeal Dystonia: Multidisciplinary Update on Terminology, Pathophysiology, and Research Priorities. Neurology 2021; 96:989-1001. [PMID: 33858994 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000011922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To delineate research priorities for improving clinical management of laryngeal dystonia, the NIH convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts for a 1-day workshop to examine the current progress in understanding its etiopathophysiology and clinical care. METHODS The participants reviewed the current terminology of disorder and discussed advances in understanding its pathophysiology since a similar workshop was held in 2005. Clinical and research gaps were identified, and recommendations for future directions were delineated. RESULTS The panel unanimously agreed to adopt the term "laryngeal dystonia" instead of "spasmodic dysphonia" to reflect the current progress in characterizations of this disorder. Laryngeal dystonia was recognized as a multifactorial, phenotypically heterogeneous form of isolated dystonia. Its etiology remains unknown, whereas the pathophysiology likely involves large-scale functional and structural brain network disorganization. Current challenges include the lack of clinically validated diagnostic markers and outcome measures and the paucity of therapies that address the disorder pathophysiology. CONCLUSION Research priorities should be guided by challenges in clinical management of laryngeal dystonia. Identification of disorder-specific biomarkers would allow the development of novel diagnostic tools and unified measures of treatment outcome. Elucidation of the critical nodes within neural networks that cause or modulate symptoms would allow the development of targeted therapies that address the underlying pathophysiology. Given the rarity of laryngeal dystonia, future rapid research progress may be facilitated by multicenter, national and international collaborations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Simonyan
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
| | - Julie Barkmeier-Kraemer
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Andrew Blitzer
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Mark Hallett
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - John F Houde
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Teresa Jacobson Kimberley
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Laurie J Ozelius
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Michael J Pitman
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Robert Mark Richardson
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Nutan Sharma
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Kristine Tanner
- From the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (K.S.), Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology (K.S., L.J.O., N.S.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology (J.B.-K.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; New York Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Department of Neurology (A.B.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Human Motor Control Section (M.H.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (J.H.), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; School of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences (T.J.K.), Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (M.J.P.), Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Neurosurgery (R.M.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Department of Communication Disorders (K.T.), Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
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Khosravani S, Chen G, Ozelius LJ, Simonyan K. Neural endophenotypes and predictors of laryngeal dystonia penetrance and manifestation. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105223. [PMID: 33316367 PMCID: PMC8284879 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal dystonias are the most common forms of isolated dystonia; however, the etiopathophysiological signatures of disorder penetrance and clinical manifestation remain unclear. Using an imaging genetics approach, we investigated functional and structural representations of neural endophenotypes underlying the penetrance and manifestation of laryngeal dystonia in families, including 21 probands and 21 unaffected relatives, compared to 32 unrelated healthy controls. We further used a supervised machine-learning algorithm to predict the risk for dystonia development in susceptible individuals based on neural features of identified endophenotypes. We found that abnormalities in prefrontal-parietal cortex, thalamus, and caudate nucleus were commonly shared between patients and their unaffected relatives, representing an intermediate endophenotype of laryngeal dystonia. Machine learning classified 95.2% of unaffected relatives as patients rather than healthy controls, substantiating that these neural alterations represent the endophenotypic marker of dystonia penetrance, independent of its symptomatology. Additional abnormalities in premotor-parietal-temporal cortical regions, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum were present only in patients but not their unaffected relatives, likely representing a secondary endophenotype of dystonia manifestation. Based on alterations in the parietal cortex and caudate nucleus, the machine learning categorized 28.6% of unaffected relative as patients, indicating their increased lifetime risk for developing clinical manifestation of dystonia. The identified endophenotypic neural markers may be implemented for screening of at-risk individuals for dystonia development, selection of families for genetic studies of novel variants based on their risk for disease penetrance, or stratification of patients who would respond differently to a particular treatment in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Khosravani
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gang Chen
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laurie J Ozelius
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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A microstructural neural network biomarker for dystonia diagnosis identified by a DystoniaNet deep learning platform. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:26398-26405. [PMID: 33004625 PMCID: PMC7586425 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009165117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This research identified a microstructural neural network biomarker for objective and accurate diagnosis of isolated dystonia based on the disorder pathophysiology using an advanced deep learning algorithm, DystoniaNet, and raw structural brain images of large cohorts of patients with isolated focal dystonia and healthy controls. DystoniaNet significantly outperformed shallow machine-learning pipelines and substantially exceeded the current agreement rates between clinicians, reaching an overall accuracy of 98.8% in diagnosing different forms of isolated focal dystonia. These results suggest that DystoniaNet could serve as an objective, robust, and generalizable algorithmic platform of dystonia diagnosis for enhanced clinical decision-making. Implementation of the identified biomarker for objective and accurate diagnosis of dystonia may be transformative for clinical management of this disorder. Isolated dystonia is a neurological disorder of heterogeneous pathophysiology, which causes involuntary muscle contractions leading to abnormal movements and postures. Its diagnosis is remarkably challenging due to the absence of a biomarker or gold standard diagnostic test. This leads to a low agreement between clinicians, with up to 50% of cases being misdiagnosed and diagnostic delays extending up to 10.1 y. We developed a deep learning algorithmic platform, DystoniaNet, to automatically identify and validate a microstructural neural network biomarker for dystonia diagnosis from raw structural brain MRIs of 612 subjects, including 392 patients with three different forms of isolated focal dystonia and 220 healthy controls. DystoniaNet identified clusters in corpus callosum, anterior and posterior thalamic radiations, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and inferior temporal and superior orbital gyri as the biomarker components. These regions are known to contribute to abnormal interhemispheric information transfer, heteromodal sensorimotor processing, and executive control of motor commands in dystonia pathophysiology. The DystoniaNet-based biomarker showed an overall accuracy of 98.8% in diagnosing dystonia, with a referral of 3.5% of cases due to diagnostic uncertainty. The diagnostic decision by DystoniaNet was computed in 0.36 s per subject. DystoniaNet significantly outperformed shallow machine-learning algorithms in benchmark comparisons, showing nearly a 20% increase in its diagnostic performance. Importantly, the microstructural neural network biomarker and its DystoniaNet platform showed substantial improvement over the current 34% agreement on dystonia diagnosis between clinicians. The translational potential of this biomarker is in its highly accurate, interpretable, and generalizable performance for enhanced clinical decision-making.
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de Lima Xavier L, Simonyan K. Neural Representations of the Voice Tremor Spectrum. Mov Disord 2020; 35:2290-2300. [PMID: 32976662 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Voice tremor is a common movement disorder that manifests as involuntary oscillations of laryngeal muscles, leading to rhythmic alterations in voice pitch and loudness. Differential diagnosis of essential tremor of voice (ETv) is often challenging and includes dystonic tremor of voice (DTv), which is characterized by irregular, isometric contractions of laryngeal muscles during dystonic activity. Although clinical characteristics of voice tremor are well described, the pathophysiology underlying its heterogeneous phenomenology remains limited. METHODS We used a multimodal approach of functional magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of brain activity during symptomatic speech production, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging for the examination of cortical thickness and gray matter volume, and diffusion-weighted imaging for evaluation of white matter integrity to identify disorder-specific neural alterations and their relationships with the symptomatology of ETv and DTv. RESULTS We found a broad overlap between cortical alterations in ETv and DTv, involving sensorimotor regions responsible for the integration of multisensory information during speech production, such as primary sensorimotor, inferior/superior parietal, and inferior temporal cortices. In addition, ETv and DTv showed unique patterns of abnormalities in regions controlling speech motor preparation, which were localized in the cerebellum in ETv and the premotor cortex, insula, and superior temporal gyrus in DTv. Neural alterations in superior parietal and inferior temporal cortices were correlated with ETv severity, whereas changes in the left premotor cortex were associated with DTv severity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings point to the pathophysiological spectrum underlying ETv and DTv and favor a more heterogeneous rather than dichotomous diagnostic classification of these voice tremor disorders. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura de Lima Xavier
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Hanekamp S, Simonyan K. The large-scale structural connectome of task-specific focal dystonia. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:3253-3265. [PMID: 32311207 PMCID: PMC7375103 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emerging view of dystonia is that of a large‐scale functional network disorder, in which the communication is disrupted between sensorimotor cortical areas, basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. The structural underpinnings of functional alterations in dystonia are, however, poorly understood. Notably, it is unclear whether structural changes form a larger‐scale dystonic network or rather remain focal to isolated brain regions, merely underlying their functional abnormalities. Using diffusion‐weighted imaging and graph theoretical analysis, we examined inter‐regional white matter connectivity of the whole‐brain structural network in two different forms of task‐specific focal dystonia, writer's cramp and laryngeal dystonia, compared to healthy individuals. We show that, in addition to profoundly altered functional network in focal dystonia, its structural connectome is characterized by large‐scale aberrations due to abnormal transfer of prefrontal and parietal nodes between neural communities and the reorganization of normal hub architecture, commonly involving the insula and superior frontal gyrus in patients compared to controls. Other prominent common changes involved the basal ganglia, parietal and cingulate cortical regions, whereas premotor and occipital abnormalities distinctly characterized the two forms of dystonia. We propose a revised pathophysiological model of focal dystonia as a disorder of both functional and structural connectomes, where dystonia form‐specific abnormalities underlie the divergent mechanisms in the development of distinct clinical symptomatology. These findings may guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies directed at targeted neuromodulation of pathophysiological brain regions for the restoration of their structural and functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Hanekamp
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristina Simonyan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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