Clinical manifestations of essential tremor

Abstract

SUMMARY A clinical study of 42 patients with essential tremor is presented. In the case of 12 patients the family history strongly suggested an autosomal dominant mode of transmission, in four the mode of inheritance was indeterminate, and the remaining 26 patients were sporadic cases without an established genetic basis. The tremor involved the upper extremities in 41 patients, the head in 25, lower limbs in 15, and trunk in two. Seven patients showed involvement of speech. Variations were found in the speed and regularity of the tremor. Leg involvement took a variety of forms: (1) direct involvement by tremor; (2) a painful limp associated with forearm tremor; (3) associated dyskinetic movements; (4) ataxia; (5) foot clubbing; and (6) evidence of peroneal muscular atrophy. Several minor symptoms hyperhidrosis, cramps, dyskinetic movements, and ataxia-were associated with essential tremor. Other features were linked phenotypically to the ataxias and system degenerations. Apart from minor alterations in tone, expression, and arm swing, features of Parkinsonism were notably absent.

Prevalence of Movement Disorders in Institutionalized Elderly

“…Diagnosis of parkinsonism was made when two of the three clinical signs -resting tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia -were present [7][8][9]. Postural or kinetic upper limb or head tremor of a long duration in the absence of bradykinesia, rigidity or other neurological deficits and of systemic disorders which may cause tremor was diagnosed as essential tremor (ET) [10,11],…”

A Wavelet‐Based Correlation Analysis Framework to Study Cerebromuscular Activity in Essential Tremor

“…This study is restricted to this wavelet. Equation (1) corresponds with a normalised Morlet wavelet where the dimensionless frequency w 0 is set as 6 and dimensionless time is denoted by η. Considering an observed time-serial x k k = 1, … , N, in continuous wavelet transform (CWT), the mother wavelet is modified by varying the scale s, as shown in (2), so that η = s · t with a discretised time domain of time step δt.…”

“…This shaking can appear in different parts of the body such as the hands, forearms, or head [1]. ET is a common movement disorder affecting around four out of 100 adults over 40 years of age.…”

Dystonia with Tremors: A Clinical Approach

“…ET and cervical dystonia may be physiologically and possibly also genetically related. Cervical dystonia has been reported in 0.6~30% of patients with ET (Critchley, 1972;Baxter and Lal, 1979;Martinelli and Gabellini, 1982;Rajput et al, 1984;Lou and Jankovic, 1991;Koller et al, 1994;TallonBarranco et al,1997, as cited in Munchau et al, 2001. Additionally, postural and kinetic tremors are found in 4-55% of patients with cervical dystonia (Patterson and Little, 1943;Couch, 1976;Chan et al, 1991;Lang et al, 1992;Dubinski et al, 1993;Deuschl et al, 1997Deuschl et al, , 1998, as cited in Munchau et al, 2001).…”