Exploring Neurophysiological Mechanisms and Treatment Efficacies in Laryngeal Dystonia: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Approach

Abstract

Laryngeal dystonia (LD), known or termed as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare movement disorder with an unknown cause affecting the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Neurophysiological studies point to perturbed inhibitory processes, while conventional genetic studies reveal fragments of genetic architecture in LD. The study’s aims are to (1) describe transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) methodology for studying the functional integrity of the corticospinal tract by stimulating the primary motor cortex (M1) for laryngeal muscle representation and recording motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from laryngeal muscles; (2) evaluate the results of TMS studies investigating the cortical silent period (cSP) in LD; and (3) present the standard treatments of LD, as well as the results of new theoretical views and treatment approaches like repetitive TMS and laryngeal vibration over the laryngeal muscles as the recent research attempts in treatment of LD. Neurophysiological findings point to a shortened duration of cSP in adductor LD and altered cSP duration in abductor LD individuals. Future TMS studies could further investigate the role of cSP in relation to standard laryngological measures and treatment options. A better understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms might give new perspectives for the treatment of LD.