Diffusion weighted and resting state MRI for studying structural and correlated functional sensorimotor connectivity in patients with focal dystonias

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Bernhard Haslinger
• Subject Area: Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: from 2014 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 260063645

Functional imaging of brain activation during different tasks has substantially contributed to the pathophysiological concept of reorganization within sensorimotor networks in patients with focal dystonia. In the present proposal we aim to contribute to a better understanding of dystonia pathophysiology by characterizing the functional interaction (connectivity) within these networks at rest and correlating these to possibly underlying alterations of structural white matter fibre tract connectivity. To this end, we will combine resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion weighted MRI in several groups with various clinical manifestations of focal dystonia. Region of interest based analyses (ROI-voxel whole brain) will be performed to analyze functional connectivity. These will be correlated to sophisticated probabilistic fibre tracking analyses of high resolution diffusion weighted MR images to study underlying white matter connectivity in the same patients. Methodologically demanding online electromyographic (EMG) recordings will be performed to detect possibly confounding involuntary muscle activity at rest. By including various types of orofacial and hand dystonia we aim at revealing common as well as condition-specific pathophysiological aspects. Where applicable, we will further investigate the influence of peripheral muscle denervation with botulinum toxin (BTX) onto structural and functional connectivity. The expected new findings can expand our knowledge on the pathophysiology of focal dystonia when revealing an abnormal functional and underlying structural connectivity within sensorimotor networks. Differing from previous studies these results will be independent from task and muscle activity and constitute a possible predisposition for developing symptoms of dystonia.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Eckart Altenmüller