When was essential tremor discovered

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital have improved our understanding of how tremor -- the most common movement disorder -- happens, opening the possibility of novel therapies for this condition.

Working with animal models, the researchers discovered that a particular brain cell type, known as the Purkinje cell, triggers tremor when its pattern of signaling to other neurons changes from a regular pattern to signaling in bursts. The altered signaling pattern returned to normal and the tremor stopped when the animals were treated with deep-brain stimulation directed at a group of cerebellar neurons that communicate with Purkinje cells.

The study appears in the journal eLife. Available treatments are not always effective and the development of novel therapies to help people with this condition has been limited in part by not knowing what cell types are involved," said first author Amanda M. Brown, graduate student in the lab of Dr. Roy Sillitoe at Baylor. There are different categories of tremor. Some can be intermittent or constant and occur sporadically, or some can be associated with many other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, ataxia or dystonia.

Although tremor as a condition is not life-threatening, it can be disabling or make essential daily tasks, such as eating, drinking and walking, difficult. Previous studies had hinted that having defective Purkinje cells in the cerebellum, a brain area involved in movement, balance and coordination and other functions, seemed to contribute to the generation of tremor.

These findings led Brown and her colleagues to directly test this possibility. First, they genetically removed the Purkinje cells' ability to communicate with other cells in the mouse models, expecting that these mice would develop tremor.

Purkinje cells had to be able to signal other brain cells for tremor to occur. Just one neuron can have thousands — even a hundred thousand — synapses. Postmortem brain tissue of patients with ET also showed that the formation of these synapses was influenced by a protein called glutamate receptor delta 2. In turn, too many neuron connections formed, leading to tremor symptoms.

When the research team suppressed the normal expression of the protein in mice, essential tremorsymptoms were observed shortly after.

But restoring the normal functioning of the protein helped to control the tremor. As a result of these intensive studies and research, scientists believe that the protein, glutamate receptor delta 2, plays a fundamental role in the development of essential tremor. Currently, traditional treatment options for essential tremor range from lifestyle changes, medication, botox, and medical procedures.

Patients with essential tremor should consult with their doctor to find the right approach and treatment for their specific case. Another option for patients with essential tremor is using the Cala Trio wristband, an FDA-cleared essential tremor device. Cala Trio is a wristband calibrated to your unique tremor pattern.

Just like a fingerprint, no two patients with ET will have the same kind of tremor. After just one treatment session, patients reporting benefit can get up to 94 minutes of relief on average. Although essential tremor can be a frustrating diagnosis to get, you or your loved ones have options at your disposal to treat this disorder. Besides making certain lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and stress, you can also try essential tremor medications.

In more severe cases, surgery or medical procedures may be required. Cala Trio can help increase your quality of life and increase your enjoyment of everyday life. But a new cerebellar encephalogram EEG technique that the researchers developed for this study could offer a more definitive, speedier diagnosis.

Unlike standard EEGs, the researchers say this technology is able to pick up on electrical signals in the cerebellum. The researchers used this new machine to record brain waves in people with essential tremor. They observed some distinct brain wave activity found only among people with essential tremor, which could serve as markers to diagnose the condition.

In the meantime, the researchers plan to apply their findings to upcoming studies that will test the effectiveness of different drugs in suppressing tremors. Register or Log In. The Magazine Shop. Login Register Stay Curious Subscribe.

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