Acknowledgments We are much indebted to Sten Håkanson, MD, PhD, the originator of glycerol treatment for trigeminal neuralgia, who collaborated with the first author in earlier versions of this chapter. Many patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are elderly, often with…
Spasticity is defined as a velocity-dependent resistance to passive movement of a joint and its associated musculature and is characterized by hyperexcitability of the stretch reflex. Disorders are related to the failure of descending supraspinal inhibition. Spasticity should not be…
Axillary and palmar hyperhidroses are relatively common disorders that together affect approximately 0.5% to 1% of the population, with possibly higher percentages in those of Asian descent. Hyperhidrosis is an idiopathic overactivation of sweat glands that results in secretion of…
Background We often perceive human thoughts as powerful forces. However, one can question whether we, as humans, can manipulate the physical world around us just by our thoughts or will. Myths, legends, and science fiction are all full of stories…
Introduction The burden of psychiatric disease in the general population is substantial. Consider just two of the more common diseases. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is thought to affect nearly 17% of the world’s population, and the lifetime prevalence of obsessive-compulsive…
Introduction Lesion procedures for psychiatric disorders have been in use for more than half a century. Our current technology certainly surpasses that of the mid-20th century, when these procedures were developed. Current standards for imaging include high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging…
Movement disorders, such as Parkinson disease (PD), are currently treated pharmacologically by systemic administration of drugs that replace, mimic, or potentiate lost neurotransmitters, and more recently with neurosurgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN)…
Introduction The surgical treatment of movement disorders has evolved considerably over the past 20 years with the increasing application of deep brain stimulation (DBS), principally for the treatment of Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor, and dystonia. The sites most commonly…
History of Dystonic Conditions One of the earliest descriptions of dystonia was recorded by Gowers in 1888. Destarac in 1901 used the term “torticollis spasmodique” to describe the twisting neck movements observed in a 17-year-old girl. Dystonic conditions were identified…
Introduction Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has proven to be an effective treatment for symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), congenital or acquired dystonias, and other movement disorders. Although not currently practiced outside of clinical trials, DBS for medically…