Analysis of neck muscle structure and activation in cervical dystonia

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A tool for real-time analysis of deep neck muscle structure and activation in cervical dystonia and healthy controls

• IRAS ID

  169803

• Contact name

  Ian D Loram

• Contact email

  i.loram@mmu.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Manchester Metropolitan University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Cervical dystonia is a condition in which abnormal neck muscle contraction occurs, leading to unwanted neck movements and postures. To improve treatment, it is important to be able to assess which muscles are overactive. This is difficult to do by examination, and other methods might be invasive or difficult to perform. Better methods of assessing which muscles are active have the potential to improve understanding and treatments for cervical dystonia.
  We have developed a method of assessing muscle contraction using an ultrasound scan. We can train a computer programme to recognise which muscles are overactive in the leg during different types of movements. The muscles of the neck are more complex than those in the leg, so we now want to see whether the computer can separate out the different neck muscles and how active they are in different neck positions. This would allow us to see whether we can identify abnormal muscle contractions and head positions seen in cervical dystonia, from the information from the ultrasound scans.

  Patients who have been diagnosed with cervical dystonia and healthy controls would be eligible for the study; we hope to recruit 25 in each group. Each participant would undergo an MRI scan of the neck and an ultrasound scan, to give as much information about the neck muscles as possible to help the computer programme separate out the different muscles. We will then measure neck movements using a special device while continuing to scan the neck using ultrasound. Patients with dystonia will undergo electromyography (EMG) to measure activity by inserting a small needle into muscles. The assessments will take place at Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, and would involve attendance on 1-2 days.

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/NW/0016

• Date of REC Opinion

  28 Jan 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion