Primary Dystonia - between Botulinum Toxin Treatment, Neuropsychology, Psychotherapy and Deep Brain Stimulation

Primary Dystonia is characterized by varieties of psychophysiological and emotional symptoms. These disorders were long regarded being exclusively psychogenic or neurogenic. Now they are understood as being due to basal ganglia malfunction which is related both to motor behaviour and non-motor functions. Therefore aberrant motor behaviour is partly under control of emotional, psychophysiological and cognitive stimuli. These factors are targeted by means of psychological interventions. Moreover, Botulinum Toxin treatment and "Deep Brain Stimulation" both require psychological assistance. Examples for psychological indications are life-time assessment of mental disorders, neuropsychological assessment, enhancement of compliance for patients undergoing state-of-the-arts medical treatment, counselling with respect to preoperative anxiety and postoperative long-term development. In addition, methods of adjuvant psychological therapy and neuropsychological treatment are outlined.