Brain Neurotransmitters in Dystonia

Abstract

To the Editor: In the childhood-onset dystonia described by Hornykiewicz et al.,¹ the most striking biochemical change was a marked reduction in the concentration of norepinephrine in the lateral and posterior hypothalamus and mamillary body in both cases, and in the subthalamic nucleus and locus ceruleus in one case. In contrast, the norepinephrine levels were elevated in the red nucleus, septum, thalamus, and colliculi in one case and in the dorsal raphe nuclei in both cases. The authors suggested that noradrenergic brain mechanisms may be involved in dystonia and, in contrast to a popular notion, that idiopathic dystonia may not . . .