How acetylcholine-producing brain cells in the striatum relate to adult-onset dystonia
Official title: The Role of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons in Dystonia
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11247572 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a specialized PET scan and MRI, doctors will look at acetylcholine-related brain cells and networks in adults with focal dystonia to find common brain changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $611,310 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS124789-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247572 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (generally 21+) with isolated adult-onset focal dystonia who can undergo PET and MRI scans are the best fit for this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with childhood-onset or secondary dystonia, or those who cannot have PET/MRI scans, are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, you would receive a PET scan with a new tracer ([18F]VAT) that highlights vesicular acetylcholine transporters, along with structural and resting-state functional MRI to map related brain networks. The team will compare imaging from people with different forms of adult-onset focal dystonia to see shared changes in striatal cholinergic interneurons. Animal and biochemical data will be used alongside the human imaging to help interpret findings. The researchers hope these imaging markers could later be used to test treatments that target acetylcholine systems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal a common brain target and imaging markers that help develop and test new treatments for adult-onset dystonia.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory and animal studies have pointed to cholinergic interneuron involvement, but applying the new [18F]VAT PET tracer in people is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Norris, Scott Allen — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Norris, Scott Allen
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.