FMRI shows deficient somatosensory activation in orofacial dystonia

Background: Previous fMRI studies indicated cortical dysfunction not only in motor but also in somatosensory areas of patients with orofacial or other focal dystonias during motor tasks. In order to find out whether sensory dysfunction is related to motor execution or an inherent abnormality in orofacial dystonia, we investigated the central processing of passive somatosensory stimuli. Methods: Standardized tacile stimuli were applied to the face (forehead and upper lip) and hand in 16 patients with orofacial dystonia and 15 healthy controls by a new MR-compatible stimulation device in an event-related fashion.…