IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 192 

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for further study of 

the neurological disorder dysnia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2007 

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for 

further study of the neurological disorder dysnia. 

Whereas dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by 

powerful and painful involuntary muscle spasms that 

cause twisting, repetitive muscle movements, and sustained postural deformities; 

Whereas dystonia can affect many muscle groups simultaneously; 

Whereas several forms of dystonia are genetically inherited, 

while other forms are considered secondary dystonia due 

to birth injury, physical trauma, exposure to certain 

medications, surgery, or stroke; 

Whereas there is no known cure for dystonia and though 

treatments are available, current medical therapies only 


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superficially address symptoms without curing the actual 

disease; 

Whereas individuals of all ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds are affected by dystonia; 

Whereas dystonia is the third most common movement disorder and affects many more people than better known 

disorders such as Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral 

sclerosis); 

Whereas dystonia affects an estimated 300,000 people in 

North America; 

Whereas many individuals who suffer from dystonia are alienated from their communities and the workplace, causing 

such individuals to experience isolation and psychological 

distress and creating the need for greater public awareness, understanding, and tolerance; and 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health recently issued a 

program announcement entitled ‘‘Studies Into the Causes 

and Mechanisms of Dystonia’’ to support the study of 

dystonia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) the Director of the National Institutes of 

4 Health (NIH) should take a leadership role in the 

5 fight against dystonia by— 

6 (A) continuing the current collaboration 

7 between the National Institute of Neurological 

8 Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National 

9 Institute on Deafness and Other CommunicaVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:35 Jul 26, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC192.IH HC192

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1 tion Disorders (NIDCD), and the National Eye 

2 Institute with respect to dystonia; 

3 (B) encouraging NINDS and NIDCD to 

4 provide the necessary funding for intramural 

5 and extramural biomedical research and edu6 cation with respect to dystonia through the co7 sponsorship of workshops and seminars with re8 spected patient organizations; and 

9 (C) exploring collaborative opportunities 

10 for dystonia research at the John Edward Por11 ter Neuroscience Research Center at the Na12 tional Institutes of Health and pursuing more 

13 aggressive programs in dystonia research using 

14 the multidisciplinary approach of the Center; 

15 (2) funding should be increased for basic bio16 medical research for dystonia as well as other neuro17 logical disorders through the National Institutes of 

18 Health; 

19 (3) further research is needed to identify an ac20 curate diagnostic test for dystonia and an epidemio21 logical study should be conducted to determine the 

22 frequency of the disease in the population; 

23 (4) patient access to safe and effective dystonia 

24 therapies such as botulinum toxin injections should 

25 be improved; and 


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1 (5) public awareness and professional education 

2 regarding dystonia needs to increase through part3 nerships between the Federal Government and pa4 tient advocacy organizations. 

Æ 


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