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3. 3. What causes dystonia?

Dystonia is classified by its cause:

  • Primary dystonia—there is no other underlying condition, and no cause has been identified
  • Secondary dystonia—inherited through genetics or a symptom of a neurological disorder or as a result of an injury.

While the cause of primary dystonia often goes unidentified, experts believe it may have to do with a problem in the part of the brain called the basal ganglia. It may involve other brain regions as well.

A number of conditions including can cause secondary dystonia

  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Wilson’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Stroke
  • Brain tumor
  • Oxygen deprivation or carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Infections such as encephalitis, tuberculosis (TB), or HIV
  • Reaction to a drug, often after long-term use of specific drugs
  • Heavy metal poisoning

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