Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements (Dec 2013)

Long-Term Effect of Sodium Oxybate (Xyrem®) in Spasmodic Dysphonia with Vocal Tremor

  • Kristina Simonyan,
  • Steven J. Frucht

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7916/D8CJ8C5S
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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Background: Symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia (SD) are usually managed successfully with botulinum toxin injections. Vocal tremor (VT), which accompanies SD, has a poor response to this treatment.Case Report: We report a case of a female with SD and VT who became symptom‐free for 10 months after the intake of a single dose of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®). The long‐term treatment effect correlated with attenuated brain activity in the key regions of dystonic brain network. Discussion: Our case demonstrates that the novel treatment of sodium oxybate may hold promise for SD patients, especially those who have associated VT.