What is new in movement disorders?

Movement disorders is a term applied for a heterogeneous group of diseases and syndromes sharing deficits of voluntary motor function or movement patterns. In clinical practice, the term movement disorders is usually employed to designate those syndromes and diseases that are linked to a pathology or dysfunction of cortico-basal ganglia circuits. The last years have witnessed a rapid expansion in our understanding of the etiological and pathophysiological factors underlying movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease or dystonia. The discovery of new gene mutations is bound to give rise to new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of movement disorders related to neurodegenerative processes. It is already becoming apparent that pathological protein aggregation may be a common link in the neuronal degeneration underlying such diverse entities as spinocerebellar ataxia, idiopathic torsion dystonia and Parkinson's disease. So far, these new findings have not been translated into new forms of symptomatic or preventive therapies. Nevertheless, symptomatic treatment of movement disorders, as evident in the field of Parkinson's disease, is one of the most rewarding and innovative areas of neurological therapy.