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

OBJECTIVE: Stereotactic thalamic procedure is well known to be a effective treatment for disabling upper limb tremor of essential tremor. However, the effect of this procedure for head tremor, which is midline symptom of that disease entity, has not been sufficiently established. The authors discuss the result of stereotactic thalamic operations for head tremor of their patients who suffered from essential tremor. METHODS: We evaluated 4 patients of essential tremor who had head tremor combined with both upper limb tremor. One patient underwent unilateral ventralis intermedius thalamotomy, two patients had unilateral Vim deep brain stimulation(DBS) and one patient had unilateral Vim thalamotomy and contralateral DBS. Postoperative results of tremor were evaluated using our proposed scale. RESULTS: Contralateral upper limb tremors to surgical side were markedly resolved in all patients but there was no meaningful effect for head tremor in 3 patients who underwent unilateral thalamic surgery. In a patient having simultaneously unilateral thalamotomy and contralateral DBS, remarkable improvement of head tremor was observed. CONCLUSION: Although it is difficult to evaluate the efficacy of thalamic surgery for axial symptom of essential tremor with a few cases, simultaneous unilateral thalamotomy and contralateral DBS would be expected to induce favorable outcomes for head tremor with significant economical advantages.
Brain ; Deep Brain Stimulation* ; Essential Tremor ; Head* ; Humans ; Tremor* ; Upper Extremity

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