[Polygraphic validation of distraction tasks in clinical differential tremor diagnosis]

In a total of 30 tremor patients (14 with Parkinson's disease, 6 with cerebellar tremor, 4 with essential tremor, 4 with psychogenic tremor, 2 with enhanced physiological tremor), tremor was electromyographically recorded before, during and after contralateral distraction tasks (tapping with the index finger or the tip of the foot, sequential flexion of the 2nd to 5th finger towards the thumb, "keyboarding", and sensory discrimination). 22 of 26 patients with organic tremors spontaneously choose a volitional tapping frequency independent from their tremor frequency. In 4 patients with psychogenic tremor, frequencies of tremor and tapping were locked (n = 3), or tremor disappeared abruptly (n = 1) when contralateral tapping was started. Contralateral "keyboarding" and sensory discrimination revealed no clear differences between organic and psychogenic tremors. Contralateral tapping in further 23 patients (22 with organic tremors and 1 with psychogenic tremor) confirmed these findings. Contralateral tapping appears as the most valid distraction task and may help to differentiate psychogenic from organic tremors.