title: Alteration of digital representations in somatosensory cortex in focal hand dystonia.
abstract: Focal hand dystonia involves a loss of motor control of one or more digits; it is associated with the repetitive, synchronous movements of the digits made by musicians over periods of many years. Magnetic source imaging revealed that there is a smaller distance (fusion) between the representations of the digits in somatosensory cortex for the affected hand of dystonic musicians than for the hands of non-musician control subjects. The data suggest that use-dependent susceptibility to digital representation fusion in cortex may be involved in the etiology of focal dystonia. A successful therapy for the condition has been developed based on this consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elbert
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Candia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altenmüller
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rau
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sterr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rockstroh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pantev
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taub
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004421:Dystonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000503:physiopathology*