Toxins

A number of uncommon toxins are capable of causing brain damage centered in the motor control region known as the basal ganglia. Dystonia may be one prominent feature experienced by people with these exposures, but it is extremely uncommon for “pure” dystonia to be seen in such patients. The vast majority of people exposed to toxins (for example, manganese, cyanide, 3-nitropropionicacid) who develop dystonia have additional neurological problems consistent with toxin exposure. Possibly the most common feature in such patients is the presence of parkinsonism.