Objective: To investigate the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in essential tremor (ET). Methods: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients with essential tremor were included in this study. Twentyseven eyes of 27 healthy volunteers served as controls. All eyes were examined with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Retinascan Advanced RS-3000; NIDEK, Gamagori, Japan) using image filling software program (NAVIS-EX, NIDEK, Tokyo, Japan). Results: No statistically significant difference was detected between ET patients and control group for overall (RNFL) and foveal retinal thickness parameters. [RNFL thickness (Average thickness p=0.86, superior average p=0.22, inferior average p=0.24, nasal average p=0.06, temporal average p=0.88), foveal retinal thickness p=0.63] There was no relationship between OCT parameters and age, gender and duration of ET (all p>0.05). Conclusion: We did not find altered RNFL and foveal thickness values in patients with ET compared to controls. Retinal thickness changes do not seem to be a potentially useful biomarker in ET patients.
Essential Tremor

No abstract available.
Dystonia* ; Essential Tremor* ; Tremor*

Essential Tremor ; Humans ; Pedigree

No abstract available.
DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Essential Tremor* ; Humans

Primary writing tremor is considered to be a task-specific tremor occurring when handwriting. We describe the clinical and electrophysiological features of 5 patients. Two of the patients had a family history of the tremor. Alcohol was effective in reducing the tremor in 3 of the patients. Two patients showed a co-contraction and three alternate contractions between agonist and antagonist muscles. The frequency of the tremors was 5 to 6 Hz. Primidone and propranolol were effective in reducing tremor. Considering the clinical and electrophysiological features, it is suggested that primary writing tremor might be a variant of essential tremor. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(1):52~55, 2001
Essential Tremor ; Handwriting ; Humans ; Muscles ; Primidone ; Propranolol ; Tremor* ; Writing*

No abstract available.
DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Essential Tremor* ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease*

Adult ; Essential Tremor ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree

Adult ; Essential Tremor ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree

Stereotactic ventrolateral thalamotomy has been successful in treating a wide spectrum of involuntary movement disorders. But very little has been reported concerning their application in essential tremor. Twenty three patients with medically refractory disabling essential tremor underwent ventralis(VL) thalamotomies. The procedure was unilateral in twenty three cases. Contralateral tremor remained abscent or markedly reduced in 22 patients at the time of the most recent follow-up examinations at a mean of 2.9 months after surgery. Disability was determined by a modified form of an estabilished rating scale for termor reported by Fahn and was reduced from a mean score of 11 to 3(p<0.0001) after the operation. Persistent surgical morbidity was limited to three patients with mild dysarthria and two with a mild cognitive impairment. There were no surgically related deaths. It is concluded that stereotactic VL thalamotomy is a treatment option for medically intractable disabling essential tremor.
Dysarthria ; Dyskinesias ; Essential Tremor* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Movement Disorders ; Tremor

OBJECTIVE: Thalamic lesioning and deep brain stimulation(DBS) have proved to be beneficial to the treatment of essential tremor(ET). The authors compared the effects and complications of two modalities. METHODS: A total of 34 patients with ET were treated with ventral intermediate(Vim) nucleus thalamotomy or Vim DBS from May 1999 to May 2003. The procedure of lesioning or stimulation were performed as usual manner with or without microelectrode recording. Postoperatively, utilizing the various combinations of frequency, voltage and pulse width optimized the stimulation. The degree of improvements of tremor and the occurrence of the complications were evaluated postoperatively and at follow-up. RESULTS: There were 38 procedures, including 27 with Vim thalamotomy and 11 with DBS, in 34 patients. Of the thalamotomy group, left Vim lesioning is 25 and right one is 2. Follow-up duration ranged from 12 to 57 months. In the thalamotomy group, the rate of overall good outcome was 88.9% but 12 patients (44.4%) showed permanent adverse effects. In the cases of stimulation, the rate of overall good outcome was 90.9% and two patients had acceptable dysarthria. CONCLUSION: Both Vim thalamotomy and Vim DBS were effective for the treatment of ET, although perioperative adverse effects tended to be higher in patients who had thalamotomy. In cases of DBS, adjustments of stimulation parameters enabled an acceptable position to be achieved with tremor control and unwanted effects.
Brain ; Deep Brain Stimulation* ; Dysarthria ; Essential Tremor* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microelectrodes ; Tremor