Abnormal somatosensory homunculus in dystonia of the hand

Abstract

Abnormalities of the sensory system have been proposed as causative factors for dystonia By mapping the human cortical hand somatosensory area of 6 patients with focal dystonia of the hand, we found an abnormality of the normal homuncular organization of the finger representations in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Although a remote antecedent event or even a developmental anomaly cannot entirely be ruled out, our findings may support the concept that abnormal plasticity is involved in the development of dystonia.