Causes

The exact cause of dystonia isn't known. But it might involve altered nerve-cell communication in several regions of the brain. Some forms of dystonia are inherited.

Dystonia also can be a symptom of another disease or condition, including:

• Parkinson's disease
• Huntington's disease
• Wilson's disease
• Traumatic brain injury
• Birth injury
• Stroke
• Brain tumor or certain disorders that develop in some people with cancer (paraneoplastic syndromes)
• Oxygen deprivation or carbon monoxide poisoning
• Infections, such as tuberculosis or encephalitis
• Reactions to certain medications or heavy metal poisoning