Session Information
Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Session Title: Therapy in Movement Disorders
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Exhibit Hall C
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of botulinum neurotoxin (BonT) in patients with functional jerky movement disorders
Background: At least 2–9% of patients seen in movement disorder clinics suffer from functional movement disorders and a substantial part has jerks. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has emerged as a useful therapy for several hyperkinetic movement disorders. Previous research and our own clinical experience suggest that treatment with BoNT is an effective therapy for jerky movements as well.
Methods: Fourty-eight patients with invalidating functional jerky movement disorders, present for at least one year were included in a double-blind randomized placebo controlled of 16 weeks. The primary endpoint was reached patients showed minimal to major improvement (score 1,2 or 3) on the Clinical Global Impression (CGI)-scale. This was based on videotaped sessions, assessed by two investigators blinded to the allocated treatment. Hereafter all patients received BoNT treatment during one year in order to evaluate the long-term effect. Blinded assessment was repeated at the end.
Results: In the treatment group 16 of 25 (64%) patients reached the primary endpoint, opposed to 13 of 23 patients (57%) in the placebo group. No significant difference was detected. In the open-label follow-up phase 35 of 44 (80%) of patients improved (4 patients were lost to follow-up). This also held for the secondary outcome measures assessing the severity of motor symptoms scored by the investigator as well as the patient. Secondary outcome measures including psychiatric co-morbidity, disability and quality of life failed to reach significance for the trial phase as well as the follow-up.
Conclusions: Preliminary results show no significant effect of BoNT on functional (jerky) movement disorders. However in the open label follow-up phase the majority of patients improved on motor symptoms. (Netherlands Trial Registry 2478).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Y. Dreissen, J. Dijk, J. Gelauff, E. Zoons, M. Contarino, R. Zutt, B. Post, D. van Poppelen, A. Munts, J. Speelman, R. de Haan, J. Koelman, M. Tijssen. Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) for treatment of functional (psychogenic) jerky movement disorders: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/botulinum-neurotoxin-bont-for-treatment-of-functional-psychogenic-jerky-movement-disorders-a-randomized-placebo-controlled-clinical-trial/. Accessed July 14, 2025.« Back to 2017 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/botulinum-neurotoxin-bont-for-treatment-of-functional-psychogenic-jerky-movement-disorders-a-randomized-placebo-controlled-clinical-trial/