Which medications are used to treat dystonia?

There are several different medications that can be used to manage the symptoms of dystonia.

The main types and how they work are:

• Dopaminergic - increase dopamine

• Anticholinergic - block the effect of the chemical messenger 'acetylcholine'

• GABA Agonist - boost the levels of GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), a chemical which stops the transmission of nerve signals in the brain acting as a muscle relaxant

• Symptomatic treating - suppress the release of chemical messengers such as dopamine and serotonin

• Anti-convulsant - relieve nerve pain