An important question for many people is will my child inherit dystonia? This is a difficult question to answer, because there are so many different forms of dystonia.
Some forms of dystonia are definitely inherited. Others are not inherited. Presently 13 inheritable forms of dystonia have been identified. These are the result of a genetic abnormality.
Most primary segmental or generalised dystonias that develop in childhood are inherited in a dominant manner. This means that if a parent has this type of dystonia, there is a 50% chance of passing the dystonia gene to each child. Importantly, not everyone who inherits the gene develops dystonia. This phenomenon is known as reduced penetrance.
Approximately 30% - 40% of those who inherit the gene go on to develop and present the symptoms of dystonia. If a parent has the gene for early onset dystonia (DYT1), any children they may have will have a 15% chance of developing dystonia.
Dystonia which develops in adults may also be inherited. This is often difficult to identify since other family members may have only a mild form of dystonia. They may have never sought medical advice or perhaps their dystonia was misdiagnosed.
Last reviewed 2011
Disclaimer
The Dystonia Society provides the information on this page as general information only. It is not intended to provide instruction and you should not rely on this information to determine diagnosis, prognosis or a course of treatment. It should not be used in place of a professional consultation with a doctor.
The Dystonia Society is not responsible for the consequences of your decisions resulting from the use of this information, including, but not limited to, your choosing to seek or not to seek professional medical care, or from choosing or not choosing specific treatment based on the information. You should not disregard the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider because of any information you receive from us. If you have any health care questions, please consult the relevant medical practitioner.
