PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R Lencer
AU  - S Steinlechner
AU  - J Stahlberg
AU  - H Rehling
AU  - M Orth
AU  - T Baeumer
AU  - H-J Rumpf
AU  - C Meyer
AU  - C Klein
AU  - A Muenchau
AU  - J Hagenah
TI  - Primary focal dystonia: evidence for distinct neuropsychiatric and personality profiles
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp.2008.170191
DP  - 2009 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
PG  - 1176--1179
VI  - 80
IP  - 10
4099  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/80/10/1176.short
4100  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/80/10/1176.full
SO  - J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry2009 Oct 01; 80
AB  - Background: Primary focal dystonia (PFD) is characterised by motor symptoms. Frequent co-occurrence of abnormal mental conditions has been mentioned for decades but is less well defined. In this study, prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders, personality disorders and traits in a large cohort of patients with PFD were evaluated.Methods: Prevalence rates of clinical psychiatric diagnoses in 86 PFD patients were compared with a population based sample (n = 3943) using a multiple regression approach. Furthermore, participants were evaluated for personality traits with the 5 Factor Personality Inventory.Results: Lifetime prevalence for any psychiatric or personality disorder was 70.9%. More specifically, axis I disorders occurred at a 4.5-fold increased chance. Highest odds ratios were found for social phobia (OR 21.6), agoraphobia (OR 16.7) and panic disorder (OR 11.5). Furthermore, an increased prevalence rate of 32.6% for anxious personality disorders comprising obsessive–compulsive (22.1%) and avoidant personality disorders (16.3%) were found. Except for social phobia, psychiatric disorders manifested prior to the occurrence of dystonia symptoms. In the self-rating of personality traits, PFD patients demonstrated pronounced agreeableness, conscientiousness and reduced openness.Conclusions: Patients with PFD show distinct neuropsychiatric and personality profiles of the anxiety spectrum. PFD should therefore be viewed as a neuropsychiatric disorder rather than a pure movement disorder.