Research progress on involvement of pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in dystonia / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

As the major part of mesencephalic locomotion region, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) participates in motor initiation, rhythmic and speed regulation. In addition, PPN is regarded as a novel deep brain stimulation target for patients with Parkinson′s disease due to its dramatic effect on the gait disturbance and postural instability. However, PPN also has an important role in muscle tone control and dystonia. This review is aimed at summarizing the involvement of PPN in dystonia, providing fundamental for targeting PPN for treatment of dystonia in the future.