The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) was founded on the promise two parents made to their child. 45 years ago, Sam and Fran Belzberg vowed to do whatever it took to find answers for their newly diagnosed daughter and for people everywhere living with dystonia. They imagined a future without dystonia and the DMRF’s commitment […]
A protein in the brain called TorsinA is known to cause childhood onset dystonia when it cannot function properly due to genetic changes in the DYT1/TOR1A gene. This makes TorsinA a possible target for new treatment approaches. Numerous research teams across the world are investigating whether restoring normal TorsinA function could be an effective strategy […]
If you live in MT, IL, VT, CA, WA, RI, HI, NH, AL, KY, ME, AK, SC, MO, KS, ND, or AR we need your help ASAP. We are asking you to reach out to your Senator, because they serve on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee (the list is below), to ask them to continue […]
2021 marks 45 years since the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) was founded. Since 1976, we have worked tirelessly, every day, on behalf of every affected individual and family. And we won’t stop until there is a cure. Whether you are new to DMRF or have been a member for decades, thank you. Over and […]
Dystonia is a movement disorder characterized by excessive muscle contractions that cause abnormal movements and postures. Dystonia is not caused by pathology in a specific brain structure, but by dysfunctional circuits of communication between multiple brain areas responsible for coordinating and controlling body movement. Despite substantial progress made in understanding various aspects of dystonia, there […]
“DMRF initiated, supported, stimulated, and catalyzed essential scientific and medical efforts that created the modern dystonia field.” -Jan Teller, MA, PhD Chief Scientific Advisor Nearly 45 years ago, the DMRF began the ambitious mission to find a dystonia cure. Since that time, the Foundation has provided funding to 270+ investigators and has grown the field […]
This article originally appeared in the Dystonia Dialogue. The DMRF leads a global research effort, grounded in the belief that the best service the Foundation can provide the dystonia community is to work every day toward improved therapies and a cure. Jan Teller, MA, PhD, DMRF’s Chief Scientific Advisor since 2006, recently commented on a […]
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