I suffer from writer's cramp, a form of dystonia. I am adopted and was recently able to finally contact my birth father. I have found out that he has a son with dystonia. I haven't talked with him about it yet, but through research I have discovered that cases of inherited writer's cramp have been reported, usually in conjunction with early-onset generalized dystonia, which is associated with the DYT1 gene. Is there anyone out there dealing with this genetic type of dystonia? If so, how are you being treated? And, how common is it to pass from generation to generation? I was told that I am of Austrian/Slovak, and German descent, but I understand that this mutated gene is most prevalent in Ashkenazi jews. Any insight would be appreciated.