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The following is a summary of “Structure–function association of the cerebellar motor network is altered in isolated cervical dystonia,” published in the June 2025 issue of Journal of Neurology by Grimm et al. 

Cervical dystonia (CD) was identified as a disorder involving the brain’s sensorimotor network, with the cerebellum playing a key but not fully understood role.   

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the structural connectivity of the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTT) and Dystonia, a movement disorder marked by involuntary muscle contractions and abnormal postures. 

They performed probabilistic tractography on 18 patients with CD and 18 matched healthy control (HC) subjects. Connectivity was measured using fractional anisotropy (FA), 13 individuals per group took part in a double-blind neurophysiological study assessing cathodal and sham cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) effects on sensorimotor associative plasticity induced by paired associative stimulation (PAS). Linear models analyzed the relationship between FA of the DRTT and neurophysiological outcomes.  

The results showed no difference in FA of the DRTT between patients with CD and HC, nor was FA related to motor symptom severity in CD. A significant correlation existed in HC between DRTT structural connectivity and the impact of cathodal ctDCS on PAS effects. This correlation was absent in patients with CD.  

Investigators concluded that the microstructural integrity of the DRTT predicted cathodal ctDCS effectiveness in HCs, while its absence in patients indicated cerebellar motor network abnormalities in CD. 

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-025-13186-x