Sensory Training to Treat Focal Dystonia

It has been hypothesized that dystonia may be a sensory disorder. Animal studies as well as physiological studies of patients with focal dystonia have demonstrated sensory dysfunction. It has also been shown that patients with dystonia have impaired sensory perception including when assessed with the JVP gap detection test. This could possibly result from enlargement and dedifferentiation of representations in the sensory cortex. We therefore hypothesize that sensory training could improve the impaired sensory perception and hence improve the dystonia. This study will examine if Braille reading as a sensory training program can correct the sensory perception and the dystonia. The primary outcome is improvement in the JVP gap detection test.