Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Cerebellum in Essential Tremor

Abstract

This exploratory study of the potential therapeutic properties of rTMS on essential tremor showed an acute antitremor effect. Further investigation in search of a more lasting benefit is warranted.

Functional Anatomy of Essential Tremor: Lessons from Neuroimaging

“…Most interesting, transcranial magnetic stimulation, applied on the occipital area (in the region of the inion), has the same temporary mitigating effect as ethanol on tremor symptoms. 21 Given the shallow range of the magnetic pulses in transcranial magnetic stimulation, unless the visual cortex is inexplicably implicated in the disease, we conclude that the cerebellum is at least partially involved in tremor and that the body of research that focused on this structure is vindicated.…”

Resting-state networks link invasive and noninvasive brain stimulation across diverse psychiatric and neurological diseases

“…4A, graph). In other diseases, evidence that a specific site of noninvasive stimulation is ineffective is not as strong; however, in general, stimulation of cerebellum appears to be more effective for essential tremor than stimulation of M1 (53)(54)(55)(56)(57), stimulation of M1 appears to be more effective for pain than stimulation of DLPFC (58)(59)(60)(61), and stimulation of the left DLPFC appears to be more effective for depression than stimulation of the cranial vertex (top of the head) (17). In all cases, the DBS site with the best evidence of efficacy was significantly more connected to the sites where noninvasive stimulation was effective than to sites where noninvasive stimulation was ineffective, with connectivity to the ineffective site falling at or below the connectivity to random sites (Fig.…”

Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Cancer

“…Clinical trials have been conducted to test magnetic field therapies in managing pain [39,40], tremor [41], epilepsy [42], and migraine headaches [43]. No data support their role in any illness.…”