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A new study led by University of Florida neuroscientists furthers the scientific understanding about the brain regions involved with dystonia, a poorly understood, debilitating neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, twisting movements and other symptoms. The new findings may help scientists test new drugs that could abate the symptoms of the disease.

The study, published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, shows that removing a key protein linked to dystonia in a mouse model results in widespread increases in strength of connections across the brain network. The protein is called torsinA and is associated with DYT1 dystonia, which is a genetic form of dystonia.

Dystonia can range in levels of impairment, with onset in childhood or adulthood. It affects about 300,000 Americans.

In collaboration with researchers at the University of Michigan, UF researchers sought to understand what happens in brain networks when torsinA is deleted, amid dystonic symptoms, as a critical step in developing imaging methods to track the disease in humans. They conducted the scans using the high-field imaging magnet at UF鈥檚 National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

The study was novel in its use of a live symptomatic dystonia animal model.

鈥淔uture studies can look at this as a foundation and platform for testing dystonia therapeutics going forward, with technology and readouts that have a direct translation to humans,鈥� said senior author , a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology in and a member of the .

鈥淭his study is a critical step in the evolution of therapies for dystonia,鈥� said , a professor and chair of at the , part of 网红黑料. 鈥淐ombining an animal model with a novel imaging technique will speed up our ability to test new medications and therapies.鈥�

The study was funded by Tyler鈥檚 Hope for a Dystonia Cure, the National Institutes of 网红黑料 and the .