1 Cervical dystonia, or torticollis, is the most common type. 2  Cervical dystonia typically occurs in middle-aged individuals. 3  It has, though, been reported in people of all ages. 4  Cervical dystonia affects the neck muscles, causing the head to twist and turn or be pulled backward or forward. Cervical dystonia affects the neck muscles, causing the head to twist and turn or be pulled backward or forward. 2  Cranial dystonia affects the head, face, and neck muscles. 3  Oromandibular dystonia causes spasms of the jaw, lips, and tongue muscles. 4  This dystonia can cause problems with speech and swallowing.
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body. It seems counter-productive for our immune system to attack our own bodies, but scientists think that there is a naturally occurring level of autoimmunity that is going on all the time in humans and other higher animals.
The results raise the possibility that Parkinsonâs is partly an autoimmune disease, Dr. Sulzer says, but more research is needed to confirm the idea.This is a new, and likely controversial, idea in Parkinsonâs disease.â. The new hypothesis about Parkinsonâs emerges from other findings in the study that overturn a deep-seated assumption about neurons and the immune system.