ABSTRACT
In primary generalized dystonia and idiopathic adultonset focal dystonia, dystonia occurs in isolation, usually the result of identified or unknown genetic mutations. Dystonia also presents after structural brain injury, exposure to toxins, or in the setting of a progressive neurodegenerative illness. These secondary forms of dystonia form the focus of this chapter. Infarcts, tumors, vascular malformations, and traumatic injuries to the basal ganglia are well-known triggers of dystonia. Exposure to drugs or toxins may cause either acute or chronic dystonia. Dystonia also occurs in a wide range of heredodegenerative illnesses, diseases characterized by progressive neuronal loss with accompanying neurologic symptoms and signs.
