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Essential tremor frequency decreases with time.

R J Elble1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield 62794-9643, USA. relble@siumed.edu

Neurology
|November 30, 2000
PubMed
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Essential tremor frequency decreases over time, particularly in older individuals. This study found a slow decline in tremor frequency, potentially increasing amplitude and impacting motor function.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Essential tremor (ET) is a common neurological disorder characterized by involuntary rhythmic shaking.
  • Previous research suggests ET frequency may decrease with age, potentially altering tremor amplitude due to biomechanical factors.
  • Understanding tremor frequency changes is crucial for managing ET progression and its impact on patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively assess the longitudinal changes in tremor frequency in patients diagnosed with essential tremor.
  • To investigate the relationship between age and tremor frequency in ET patients over a 4-year period.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 44 patients with essential tremor (19 women, 25 men) was followed for 4 years.
  • Accelerometry and surface electromyography (EMG) were employed to measure hand tremor and motor unit entrainment.

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  • Tremor frequency was determined from the spectral peak of rectified filtered EMG under a 300-gram loading condition, measured every 2 years.

    • Main Results:

    • The mean age of participants was 68.0 years.
    • A mean decrement in tremor frequency of 0.332 Hz was observed over 4 years (0.270 Hz excluding an outlier).
    • A significant linear relationship was found between tremor frequency and patient age (frequency = -0.061(age) + 9.94, r = 0.459, p<0.002).

    Conclusions:

    • The frequency of essential tremor declines gradually, estimated at 0.06 to 0.08 Hz per year.
    • This age-related decrease in tremor frequency aligns with observed linear relationships between age and tremor characteristics.
    • The findings suggest that tremor frequency is a dynamic measure in ET that changes over time, potentially influencing tremor severity.