[The use of neuromodulation for the treatment of tremor]

Tremor may be a disabling disorder and pharmacologic treatment is the first-line therapy for these patients. Nevertheless, this treatment may lead to a satisfactory tremor reduction in only 50% of patients with essential tremor. Thalamotomy was the treatment of choice for tremor refractory to medical therapy until deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermedius nucleus (Vim) of the thalamus has started being used. Nowadays, thalamotomy is rarely performed.

This article is a non-systematic review of the indications, results, programming parameters and surgical technique of DBS of the Vim for the treatment of tremor.

In spite of the fact that it is possible to achieve similar clinical results using thalamotomy or DBS of the Vim, the former causes more adverse effects than the latter. Furthermore, DBS can be used bilaterally, whereas thalamotomy has a high risk of causing disartria when it is performed in both sides. DBS of the Vim achieved an adequate tremor improvement in several series of patients with tremor caused by essential tremor, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. Besides the Vim, there are other targets, which are being used by some authors, such as the zona incerta and the prelemniscal radiations.

DBS of the Vim is a useful treatment for disabling tremor refractory to medical therapy. It is essential to carry out an accurate patient selection as well as to use a proper surgical technique. The best stereotactic target for tremor is still unknown, although the Vim is the most used one.