people with laryngeal dystonia (LD), a condition in which the voice becomes strained and hoarse, may benefit from a drug already used to treat the sleep disorder, researchers say.

some volunteers who tried narcolepsy The treatment, sodium oxybate, showed that it made his speech as simple as drinking alcohol, but without the intoxication.

LD, a neurological disorder characterized by spasms of the vocal cords, has received increased attention since the appointment of US President-elect Donald Trump. robert f kennedy jr – Whose condition is – to his new team.

American journalist and broadcaster diane rehm This is also.

Botox (botulinum toxin) injections are often used to treat LD, but researchers say it is ineffective for 40% of patients. Massachusetts Eye and Ear HospitalTell.

Lead investigator Dr Christina Simonian said: “We hear so many stories of broken lives and careers from laryngeal dystonia patients and how desperate they are for new treatments.

“Our trial gives us hope for a new, effective treatment that can be offered to some of these patients.”

His team decided to try low-dose sodium oxybate after some patients told them their symptoms improved after a few alcoholic drinks.

It is chemically similar to the inhibitory neurotransmitter gammahydroxybutyric acid (GHB), which mimics some of the effects of alcohol.

But it is not the same as illicit GHB – a dangerous and illegal drug that is abused for its pleasurable effects.

And the researchers emphasize their study, which has been published History of NeurologyCarefully controlled prescription medication is used.

But first, they gave vodka shots to 106 LD patients.

56 showed no improvement in symptoms, while the other 50 experienced spontaneous speech.

At a later date, all volunteers were given either a single dose of the prescribed sodium-oxybate liquid drug or a dummy or placebo.

And again, 56 showed no real improvement with the drug, while the other group – alcohol responders – had improvement, with the effect lasting five hours.

Researchers say there were some mild side effects, such as nausea and dizziness, but no serious side effects.

They are now starting a larger Phase 3 study.

“Our findings suggest that sodium oxybate can be taken as needed, such as before work or a social event, so that patients can tailor treatment to their daily needs and control their symptoms,” he said.

Dayna Ferdinandy of Dystonia UK said the study showed promising results, but more investigation was needed.

“The drug has not yet been approved by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) or the NHS for use in treating dystonia and requires more rigorous evaluation to assess its safety, efficacy and long-term effects,” he said. is required.”

“We welcome any research on dystonia, but it is important that new treatments are thoroughly investigated before considering widespread use.”

Gemma Haynes, of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, said: “Dr Simonian’s work gives promising data to an effective alternative treatment option and hope for the future for our service users who suffer from this debilitating communication disorder.”

The charity says the causes of LD are not yet fully understood, but vocal exercises and relaxation may help.

Symptoms often appear in mid-life.

Kennedy, 70, says her voice was “very strong” before she developed LD at age 42.

He says he recently underwent “novel surgery” on his larynx (voice box) in Japan, which helped his voice.