Development and Pilot Testing of the Tremor Retrainer Smartphone Application for the Treatment of Functional Tremor

Functional tremor is a common and disabling condition with limited treatment options. A prior proof-of-concept pilot study sought to translate entrainment, a key diagnostic feature of functional tremor, into a treatment strategy.

The Tremor Retrainer smartphone application was developed though a collaboration between neurologists and a software engineer. It analyzes data from smartphone accelerometers to measure baseline tremor frequency, then provides auditory cues at a lower frequency for the patient to match with flexion-extension movements at the wrist. The application provides continuous biofeedback on performance via a visual gauge. Patients with functional tremor underwent a one-week treatment protocol with the Tremor Retrainer application and provided feedback on usability and acceptability to guide software programming.

Three pediatric patients completed the one-week protocol and their feedback was used to modify the software. All patients felt that the application was easy to use and could be effective in treating functional tremor.

The Tremor Retrainer smartphone application uses auditory cues and a visual gauge to provide a personalized and widely accessible entrainment-based intervention. Pilot testing in pediatric patients provided key feedback for application design.

The Tremor Retrainer smartphone application modulates functional tremor frequency by providing pulsed auditory cues for a patient to match with wrist flexion-extension movements while receiving continuous biofeedback via a visual gauge. This adaption of the diagnostic sign of entrainment has potential as an accessible treatment for patients with functional tremor.