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MRI-guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Patients with Medically-refractory Essential Tremor
Published on: December 13, 2017
The pathophysiology of essential tremor
Neurology
|June 15, 2000
Summary
Essential tremor (ET) pathophysiology remains unclear, with no physical abnormalities found in autopsies. Research suggests a central nervous system origin, implicating the olivocerebellar pathway in essential tremor.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Movement Disorders
Background:
- Essential tremor (ET) lacks identifiable gross or microscopic abnormalities in autopsy studies.
- Electrophysiologic findings suggest a central nervous system origin for tremorogenic oscillations in ET.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities in essential tremor.
- To investigate the potential role of the olivocerebellar pathway in ET etiology.
Main Methods:
- Review of autopsy findings, electrophysiologic studies, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies.
- Comparison of human ET with harmaline-induced tremor in animal models.
Main Results:
- Autopsy studies show no definitive abnormalities in ET.
- PET studies implicate the inferior olive and cerebellum.
- Animal models suggest the inferior olive as a source of oscillation.
Conclusions:
- A disturbance in olivocerebellar rhythmicity is the leading hypothesis for ET etiology.
- While diagnostic tests exist, a definitive biologic marker or gold-standard test for ET is still needed.
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