Diminished striatal [123I]iodobenzovesamicol binding in idiopathic cervical dystonia†

Striatal dysfunction is thought to underlie many dystonias. We used [123I]iodobenzovesamicol single-photon emission computed tomography imaging to determine the density of cholinergic terminals in the striatum and other brain regions in 13 subjects with idiopathic cervical dystonia. Striatal [131I]iodobenzovesamicol binding was reduced. These results support a role for striatal dysfunction in idiopathic dystonias and suggest diminished striatal cholinergic interneuron density in cervical dystonia. Ann Neurol 2003;53:528–532