Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound ventral intermediate thalamotomy for Tremor-Dominant Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Tremor-dominant Parkinson's Disease (TDPD) has a slower neurological decline compared to other phenotypes of the disease, but significantly impacts daily activities and is often less responsive to standard medications. Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) lesioning of the Ventral Intermediate (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus may alleviate symptoms for these patients. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of English-language studies from PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were conducted, assessing the efficacy and safety of MRgFUS VIM thalamotomy in TDPD patients. Tremor scores were evaluated using the Clinical Scale Rating for Tremor and the Movement Disorders Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRSIII). Neuropsychological outcomes were measured using the Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. This analysis adhered to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Thirteen studies with 211 patients were included. MDS-UPDRSIII scores showed significant improvement at 1, 6, and 12 months post-MRgFUS, respectively: (MD -8.92 points, 95% CI: -15.44 to -2.40, p < 0.01; MD -7.39 points, 95% CI: -11.47 to -3.30, p < 0.01; MD -10.66 points, 95% CI: -16.89 to -4.43, p < 0.01). PDQ scores at baseline compared to 6 months post-treatment also indicated a significant improvement (SMD - 0.86, 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.50, p < 0.01). Neurological adverse events were generally mild and transient, with gait instability and sensory deficits being the most common. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrates significant improvements in tremor and neuropsychological outcomes following MRgFUS VIM thalamotomy in TDPD patients, with adverse events being typically mild and transient.

Radiosurgical thalamotomy for the management of tremors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Medical treatment for tremors may include beta-blockers, primidone, dopaminergic, and anticholinergic drugs but it frequently leads to pharmacoresistance. Therefore, surgical treatment gained relevance as an alternative for those patients.We aim to evaluate radiosurgical thalamotomy as an effective and safe alternative to manage tremors. Pubmed (MEDLINE), Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for potential articles that evaluated radiosurgical thalamotomy for the management of tremor. Our analysis included 12 studies with 545 patients, 226 of whom were female. Of these, 64.6% of patients were diagnosed with essential tremor (ET), 34.6% with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 0.8% with both ET and PD. The FTM-TRS global score (MD -5.46; 95% CI [-10.44]-[-0.47]; I2 = 52%) and the drawing (MD -1.40; 95% CI [-2.03]-[-0.76]; I2 = 93%), drinking (MD -1.60; 95% CI [-1.82]-[-1.37]; I2 = 40%), and writing (MD -1.51; 95% CI [-1.89]-[-1.13]; I2 = 89%) grades showed significantly lower mean differences, favoring radiosurgical thalamotomy. A pooled proportion of 12% presented with tremor unchanged, while 38% presented with total elimination of tremor. Adverse events included: major paresis, minor paresis, dysarthria, and numbness. Thus, radiosurgical thalamotomy is a safe alternative for tremors resistant to medication, particularly in high-risk patients for RF or DBS procedures. The recommended dose of 130 to 150 Gy is effective and well-tolerated. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to understand the unpredictability of tissue response to radiation.

L-2 hydroxyglutaric aciduria: report of a Mexican-Mayan patient with the mutation c.569C>T and response to vitamin supplements and levocarnitine.

Background: L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L2HGA) is a rare inherited autosomal recessive neurometabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the L2HGDH gene which encodes mitochondrial 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase. Here, we report a case of L2HGA in a Mexican-Mayan patient with a homozygous mutation at L2HGDH gene and clinical response to vitamin supplements and levocarnitine. Case report: A 17-year-old, right-handed female patient with long-term history of seizures, developmental delay and ataxia was referred to a movement disorders specialist for the evaluation of tremor. Her brain MRI showed typical findings of L2HGA. The diagnosis was corroborated with elevated levels of 2-hydroxyglutaric acid in urine and genetic test which revealed a homozygous genetic known variant c.569C>T in exon 5 of L2HGDH gene. She was treated with levocarnitine and vitamin supplements, showing improvement in tremor and gait. Discussion: To our knowledge this is the first report of a Mexican patient with L2HGA. This case adds information about a rare condition in a different ethnic group and supports the findings of other authors which encountered symptomatic improvement with the use of flavin adenine dinucleotide (and its precursor riboflavin), and levocarnitine. Highlights: We report the first case of Mexican-Mayan patient with L2HGA showing a missense homozygous mutation in L2HGDH gene, and improvement of symptoms with vitamin supplements and levocarnitine.

Resolution of Wing-Beating Tremor and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lesions in Wilson's Disease Following Penicillamine.

Background: The wing-beating tremor, characteristic of Wilson's disease (WD), is a disabling symptom that can be resistant to anti-copper and anti-tremor medications. Phenomenology Shown: This video illustrates severe bilateral wing-beating tremor, moderate head and lower limb tremors, mild cervical dystonia, and subtle cerebellar ataxia, with nearly resolution after penicillamine treatment. Educational Value: This case highlights a typical aspect of WD, emphasizing the importance of early detection and treatment, and its correlation with MRI findings. Highlights: This case highlights the typical wing-beating tremor in Wilson's disease and its correlation with the involvement of the dentato-rubro-thalamic pathway. The early diagnosis and initiation of treatment with penicillamine resulted in an excellent clinical and radiological response.

Persistence of Basal Ganglia Oscillatory Activity During Tremor Attenuation by Movement in Parkinson's Disease Patients.

BACKGROUND: One of the characteristics of parkinsonian tremor is that its amplitude decreases with movement. Current models suggest an interaction between basal ganglia (BG) and cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuits in parkinsonian tremor pathophysiology. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to correlate central oscillation in the BG with electromyographic activity during re-emergent tremor in order to detect changes in BG oscillatory activity when tremor is attenuated by movement. METHODS: We performed a prospective, observational study on consecutive parkinsonian patients who underwent deep brain stimulation surgery and presented re-emergent tremor. Coherence analysis between subthalamic nucleus/globus pallidus internus (STN/GPi) tremorous activity measured by microrecording (MER) and electromyogram (EMG) from flexor and extensor wrist muscles during rest, posture, and re-emergent tremor pause was performed during surgery. The statistical significance level of the MER-EMG coherence was determined using surrogate data analysis, and the directionality of information transfer between BG and muscle was performed using entropy transfer analysis. RESULTS: We analyzed 148 MERs with tremor-like activity from 6 patients which were evaluated against the simultaneous EMGs, resulting in 296 correlations. Of these, 26 presented a significant level of coherence at tremor frequency, throughout rest and posture, with a complete EMG stop in between. During the pause, all recordings showed sustained MER peaks at tremor frequency (±1.5 Hz). Information flows preferentially from BG to muscle during rest and posture, with a loss of directionality during the pause. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that oscillatory activity in STN/GPi functionally linked to tremor sustains firing frequency during re-emergent tremor pause, thus suggesting no direct role of the BG circuit on tremor attenuation due to voluntary movements. © 2024 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

On the Effect of Vibrotactile Stimulation in Essential Tremor.

(1) Background: Vibrotactile stimulation has been studied for tremor, but there is little evidence for Essential Tremor (ET). (2) Methods: This research employed a dataset from a previous study, with data collected from 18 individuals subjected to four vibratory stimuli. To characterise tremor changes before, during, and after stimuli, time and frequency domain features were estimated from the signals. Correlation and regression analyses verified the relationship between features and clinical tremor scores. (3) Results: Individuals responded differently to vibrotactile stimulation. The 250 Hz stimulus was the only one that reduced tremor amplitude after stimulation. Compared to the baseline, the 250 Hz and random frequency stimulation reduced tremor peak power. The clinical scores and amplitude-based features were highly correlated, yielding accurate regression models (mean squared error of 0.09). (4) Conclusions: The stimulation frequency of 250 Hz has the greatest potential to reduce tremors in ET. The accurate regression model and high correlation between estimated features and clinical scales suggest that prediction models can automatically evaluate and control stimulus-induced tremor. A limitation of this research is the relatively reduced sample size.

Initial outcomes and safety of MR guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy for essential tremor of the first FUS Medical Unit in Portugal / Resultados iniciais e segurança da talamotomia por ultrassons focalizados guiados por RM (MrgFUS) no tremor essencial da primeira Unidade Médica de FUS em Portugal

Abstract Background The magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) has emerged as an innovative treatment for patients with medically refractory essential tremor (ET). Objective This retrospective observational study aims to present the results of the first five patients with medically refractory ET who underwent MRgFUS treatment at this pioneering medical unit in Portugal. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review for the first five patients who underwent unilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy of the ventral intermediate (Vim) nucleus to treat medically refractory ET at our medical unit. Results The mean patient age was 65.4 (26-84) years, and 60% were male. All patients had a family history of ET. The mean duration of disease was 17.4 years (range 10-24 years), and their dominant hand was the right. According to personal preference, the thalamotomy was performed on the left side in four patients, and on the right side in one. The MRgFUS thalamotomy led to significant improvements in both the clinical rating scale for tremor (CRST) score, by 62%, and the CRST composite score for the treated hand, by 73%. All patients experienced improvements in functionality and quality of life, by 52%. No severe adverse events were observed, and those that did occur during and following the procedure were mild and transient. Conclusion The initial results from Portugal's first MRgFUS medical unit indicate promising outcomes, with improvement in quality of life, as well as mild and temporary adverse events These findings contribute to the growing body of literature supporting the efficacy and safety of MRgFUS as a viable treatment option for patients with medication-resistant ET.

Resumo Antecedentes A talomotomia por ultrassons focados - guiada por imagem de ressonância magnética (MRgFUS) surgiu recentemente como um tratamento inovador para pacientes com tremor essencial (TE) refratário ao tratamento médico. Objetivo Este estudo observacional retrospectivo tem como objetivo apresentar os resultados dos primeiros cinco pacientes com TE refratário à medicação submetidos ao tratamento com MRgFUS numa unidade médica pioneira em Portugal. Métodos Realizamos uma revisão retrospectiva dos dados clínicos dos cinco primeiros pacientes submetidos a talamotomia MRgFUS unilateral do núcleo ventral intermédio (Vim) para tratamento do TE medicamente refratário em nossa unidade médica. Resultados A idade média dos pacientes era de 65,4 (26-84) anos, e 60% eram do sexo masculino. Todos os pacientes tinham história familiar de TE. A duração média da doença foi de 17,4 anos, e todos eram destros. De acordo com a preferência individual, em 4 pacientes, a talamotomia foi realizada no lado esquerdo, e em um, no lado direito. A talamotomia por MRgFUS levou a melhorias significativas tanto na pontuação da escala de classificação clínica para tremor (CRST), de 62%, e na pontuação composta da CRST para a mão tratada, de 73%. Todos os pacientes apresentaram melhorias na funcionalidade e na qualidade de vida, de 52%. Não foram observados efeitos adversos graves e os que ocorreram durante e após o procedimento foram ligeiros e transitórios. Conclusão Os resultados iniciais da primeira unidade médica MRgFUS de Portugal indicam melhorias na qualidade de vida dos pacientes, com efeitos adversos ligeiros e transitórios. Estes dados reforçam a evidência crescente sobre a eficácia e segurança da talamotomia por MRgFUS como opção viável para pacientes com TE resistente à medicação.

Comparison of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bilirubin levels between patients with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease / Comparação dos níveis de 25-hidroxivitamina D e bilirrubina entre pacientes com tremor essencial e doença de Parkinson

Introduction: Differential diagnoses between essential tremor and Parkinson's disease is challenging in some individuals, with both disorders sharing similarities. Considering these links, we hypothesized that both conditions have a similar profile for some antioxidant molecules, including 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bilirubin. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study comparing serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bilirubin in 31 ET patients, 38 PD, and 65 controls matched for age. We used the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin scale for the severity of tremors in the ET group. We used Hohen-Yahr and MDS-UPDRS part III scales in the PD group. In addition, we evaluated sociodemographic characteristics, including age, sex, ethnicity, years of study, duration of disease, and use of primidone. Results: We found no differences in serum levels for 25-hydroxyvitamin D or bilirubin subtype levels between the ET and PD groups. We found low levels of indirect bilirubin in the PD group compared to the controls. We did not find differences between ET and controls in all biomarkers of the study. Conclusion: ET and PD patients have similar profiles for 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bilirubin serum levels. The discovery of differences in oxidative stress biomarkers in both conditions, mainly low-cost substances available clinically, can assist in the differential diagnosis and, in the future, prognostication and better therapy management (AU).

Introdução: O diagnóstico diferencial entre tremor essencial (TE) e a doença de Parkinson (DP) é desafiador em alguns indivíduos com ambas as afecções apresentando algumas similaridades. Assim sendo, hipotetizamos que ambas têm perfil similar de algumas moléculas antioxidantes, incluindo 25-hidroxivitamina D e bilirrubina. Méto-dos: Realizamos um estudo transversal comparando os níveis séricos de 25-hidroxivitamina D e bilirrubinas em 31 indivíduos com TE, 38 com DP e 65 controles pareados por idade. A escala de Fahn-Tolosa-Marin foi usada para avaliação da gravidade do tremor no grupo com TE e Hohen-Yahr e UPDRS parte III na avaliação do grupo com DP. Também foram avaliadas as características sociodemográficas. Resultados: Não encontramos diferenças nos níveis séricos de 25-hidroxivitamina D ou bilirrubina entre os grupos TE e DP. Encontramos baixos níveis de bilirrubina indireta no grupo DP comparado aos controles. Não encontramos diferenças entre os grupos com TE e controles em nenhum dos biomarcadores do estudo. Conclusão: Pacientes com TE e DP apresentam níveis séricos semelhantes de 25-Hidroxivitamina D e bilirrubinas. Diferenças nos biomarcadores de estresse oxidativo em ambas as condi-ções, principalmente substâncias de baixo custo disponíveis na clínica, pode auxiliar no diagnóstico diferencial e, futuramente, no prognóstico e otimização terapêutica (AU).

Towards a Modular Pathological Tremor Simulation System Based on the Stewart Platform.

Wearable technologies have aided in reducing pathological tremor symptoms through non-intrusive solutions that aim to identify patterns in involuntary movements and suppress them using actuators positioned at specific joints. However, during the development of these devices, tests were primarily conducted on patients due to the difficulty of faithfully simulating tremors using simulation equipment. Based on studies characterizing tremors in Parkinson's disease, the development of a robotic manipulator based on the Stewart platform was initiated, with the goal of satisfactorily simulating resting tremor movements in the hands. In this work, a simulator was implemented in a computational environment using the multibody dynamics method. The platform structure was designed in a virtual environment using SOLIDWORKS® v2017 software and later exported to Matlab® R17a software using the Simulink environment and Simscape multibody library. The workspace was evaluated, and the Kalman filter was used to merge acceleration and angular velocity data and convert them into data related to the inclination and rotation of real patients' wrists, which were subsequently executed in the simulator. The results show a high correlation and low dispersion between real and simulated signals, demonstrating that the simulated mechanism has the capacity to represent Parkinson's disease resting tremors in all wrist movements. The system could contribute to conducting tremor tests in suppression devices without the need for the presence of the patient and aid in comparing suppression techniques, benefiting the development of new wearable devices.

Movement disorders in hereditary spastic paraplegias / Distúrbios de movimento em paraplegia espástica hereditária

Abstract Background Hereditary or familial spastic paraplegias (SPG) comprise a group of genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous diseases characterized by progressive degeneration of the corticospinal tracts. The complicated forms evolve with other various neurological signs and symptoms, including movement disorders and ataxia. Objective To summarize the clinical descriptions of SPG that manifest with movement disorders or ataxias to assist the clinician in the task of diagnosing these diseases. Methods We conducted a narrative review of the literature, including case reports, case series, review articles and observational studies published in English until December 2022. Results Juvenile or early-onset parkinsonism with variable levodopa-responsiveness have been reported, mainly in SPG7 and SPG11. Dystonia can be observed in patients with SPG7, SPG11, SPG22, SPG26, SPG35, SPG48, SPG49, SPG58, SPG64 and SPG76. Tremor is not a frequent finding in patients with SPG, but it is described in different types of SPG, including SPG7, SPG9, SPG11, SPG15, and SPG76. Myoclonus is rarely described in SPG, affecting patients with SPG4, SPG7, SPG35, SPG48, and SPOAN (spastic paraplegia, optic atrophy, and neuropathy). SPG4, SPG6, SPG10, SPG27, SPG30 and SPG31 may rarely present with ataxia with cerebellar atrophy. And autosomal recessive SPG such as SPG7 and SPG11 can also present with ataxia. Conclusion Patients with SPG may present with different forms of movement disorders such as parkinsonism, dystonia, tremor, myoclonus and ataxia. The specific movement disorder in the clinical manifestation of a patient with SPG may be a clinical clue for the diagnosis.

Resumo Antecedentes As paraplegias espásticas hereditárias ou familiares (SPG) compreendem um grupo de doenças geneticamente e fenotipicamente heterogêneas caracterizadas por degeneração progressiva dos tratos corticospinais. As formas complicadas evoluem com vários outros sinais e sintomas neurológicos, incluindo distúrbios do movimento e ataxia. Objetivo Resumir as descrições clínicas de SPG que se manifestam com distúrbios do movimento ou ataxias para auxiliar o clínico na tarefa de diagnosticar essas doenças. Métodos Realizamos uma revisão da literatura, incluindo relatos de casos, séries de casos, artigos de revisão e estudos observacionais publicados em inglês até dezembro de 2022. Resultados O parkinsonismo juvenil ou de início precoce com resposta variável à levodopa foi relatado principalmente em SPG7 e SPG11. A distonia pode ser observada em pacientes com SPG7, SPG11, SPG22, SPG26, SPG35, SPG48, SPG49, SPG58, SPG64 e SPG76. O tremor não é um achado frequente em pacientes com SPG, mas é descrito em diferentes tipos de SPG, incluindo SPG7, SPG9, SPG11, SPG15 e SPG76. A mioclonia é raramente descrita em SPG, afetando pacientes com SPG4, SPG7, SPG35, SPG48 e SPOAN (paraplegia espástica, atrofia óptica e neuropatia). SPG4, SPG6, SPG10, SPG27, SPG30 e SPG31 podem raramente apresentar ataxia com atrofia cerebelar. E SPG autossômico recessivo, como SPG7 e SPG11, também pode apresentar ataxia. Conclusão Indivíduos com SPG podem apresentar diferentes formas de distúrbios do movimento, como parkinsonismo, distonia, tremor, mioclonia e ataxia. O distúrbio específico do movimento na manifestação clínica de um paciente com SPG pode ser uma pista clínica para o diagnóstico.

[Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: experience, benefits and limitations in a center in Latin America]. / Estimulación cerebral profunda para enfermedad de Parkinson: experiencia, beneficios y limitaciones en un centro en Latinoamérica.

Background: Parkinson's disease is poorly studied in Colombia. It is pharmacologically managed, but for refractory cases, surgery is a therapeutic option, positively impacting on quality of life. Objective: To determine the impact of deep brain stimulation as management in the control of progression in patients with Parkinson's disease attended our institution between the years 2014 to 2020. Method: Descriptive retrospective study, with patients collected between 2014 and 2020 undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery. The MDS-UPDRS (Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) was applied in the pre- and postoperative period, and the results were compared. Results: 21 patients were included and the UPDRS was applied, finding a decrease in scores in the postoperative period. One patient had an operative site infection. Conclusions: There was an improvement in the MDS-UPDRS score, with a low rate of complications. The procedure time was prolonged from the preoperative evaluation. Deep brain stimulation is the management of choice for refractory Parkinson's disease. The patients in this series showed improvement in their symptoms. Unfortunately, there are limitations to perform this procedure in Colombia, such as the delay in the authorization of the procedure.

Antecedentes: La enfermedad de Parkinson está poco estudiada en Colombia. Es de manejo farmacológico, pero para casos refractarios la cirugía es una opción terapéutica que impacta positivamente en la calidad de vida. Objetivo: Determinar el impacto de la estimulación cerebral profunda como manejo en el control de la progresión en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson atendidos nuestra institución entre los años 2014 a 2020. Método: Estudio descriptivo de corte retrospectivo con pacientes recolectados entre los años 2014 y 2020 sometidos a cirugía de estimulación cerebral profunda. Se aplicó la MDS-UPDRS (Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) en el pre- y el posoperatorio, y se compararon los resultados. Resultados: Se incluyeron 21 pacientes y se les aplicó la MDS-UPDRS, encontrando una disminución en las puntuaciones en el posoperatorio. Un paciente presentó infección del sitio operatorio. Conclusiones: Hubo mejoría en la puntuación de la MDS-UPDRS, con baja tasa de complicaciones. El tiempo de realización del procedimiento fue prolongado desde la valoración preoperatoria. La estimulación cerebral profunda es el manejo de elección para la enfermedad de Parkinson refractaria. Los pacientes de esta serie mostraron mejoría en sus síntomas. Desafortunadamente, existen limitaciones para la realización de este procedimiento en Colombia, como el retraso en la autorización del procedimiento.

Neuro estímulo eléctrico periférico no invasivo como opción terapéutica en temblor esencial / Non-invasive peripheral electrical nerve stimulation as a therapeutic option in essential tremor / Estimulação elétrica nervosa periférica não invasiva como opção terapêutica no tremor essencia

El temblor esencial es el trastorno de movimiento más común en la actualidad, su prevalencia aumenta conforme lo hace la edad y se caracteriza principalmente por ser un temblor de acción de miembros superiores que puede llegar a afectar miembros inferiores, tronco y cabeza. Afecta directamente la calidad de vida de las personas al limitar las actividades del diario vivir llevando al desarrollo de trastornos como ansiedad y depresión. Objetivo. Describir los efectos adversos y la eficacia de los neuro estímulos periféricos no invasivos como opción terapéutica para el temblor esencial. Metodología. Se empleó la metodología de una revisión sistemática, basadas en las directrices PRISMA 2021 mediante la búsqueda de información en las siguientes bases de datos, PubMed, Scopus y Web of science. Además, se realizó una búsqueda especifica de todos los estudios centrados en la temática cuyo algoritmo de búsqueda se presenta a continuación, "terapia no invasiva" AND "temblor esencial" AND "neuroestimulación" AND "estimulación eléctrica transcutánea" en idioma español e inglés, entre los años 2017- 2022. Conclusión. La neuroestimulación eléctrica periférica no invasiva se presenta como una opción terapéutica prometedora en el tratamiento del temblor esencial. Los estudios han demostrado una mejora significativa en los síntomas del temblor en pacientes tratados con neuroestimulación eléctrica periférica no invasiva, lo que sugiere que este enfoque puede ser beneficioso para pacientes que no responden a otros tratamientos convencionales o que experimentan efectos secundarios adversos. Además, la neuroestimulación eléctrica periférica no invasiva es una técnica segura y bien tolerada por los pacientes.

Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder today, its prevalence increases with age and is characterized mainly as an action tremor of the upper limbs that can affect the lower limbs, trunk and head. It directly affects the quality of life of people by limiting the activities of daily living leading to the development of disorders such as anxiety and depression. Objective. To describe the adverse effects and efficacy of noninvasive peripheral neuro-stimuli as a therapeutic option for essential tremor. Methodology. The methodology of a systematic review was used, based on the PRISMA 2021 guidelines, by searching for information in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of science. In addition, a specific search was performed for all studies focused on the topic whose search algorithm is presented below, "noninvasive therapy" AND "essential tremor" AND "neurostimulation" AND "transcutaneous electrical stimulation" in Spanish and English language, between the years 2017- 2022. Conclusion. Noninvasive peripheral electrical neurostimulation is presented as a promising therapeutic option in the treatment of essential tremor. Studies have demonstrated significant improvement in tremor symptoms in patients treated with noninvasive peripheral electrical neurostimulation, suggesting that this approach may be beneficial for patients who do not respond to other conventional treatments or who experience adverse side effects. In addition, noninvasive peripheral electrical neurostimulation is a safe technique that is well tolerated by patients.

O tremor essencial é o distúrbio de movimento mais comum atualmente, sua prevalência aumenta com a idade e é caracterizado principalmente como um tremor de ação do membro superior que pode afetar os membros inferiores, o tronco e a cabeça. Ele afeta diretamente a qualidade de vida das pessoas ao limitar as atividades da vida diária, levando ao desenvolvimento de distúrbios como ansiedade e depressão. Objetivo. Descrever os efeitos adversos e a eficácia dos neuroestímulos periféricos não invasivos como opção terapêutica para o tremor essencial. Metodologia. Utilizamos a metodologia de uma revisão sistemática, com base nas diretrizes PRISMA 2021, buscando informações nos seguintes bancos de dados: PubMed, Scopus e Web of science. Além disso, foi realizada uma busca específica de todos os estudos focados no assunto cujo algoritmo de busca é apresentado a seguir, "terapia não invasiva" AND "tremor essencial" AND "neuroestimulação" AND "estimulação elétrica transcutânea" em espanhol e inglês, entre 2017 e 2022. Conclusão. A neuroestimulação elétrica periférica não invasiva é apresentada como uma opção terapêutica promissora no tratamento do tremor essencial. Estudos demonstraram melhora significativa nos sintomas do tremor em pacientes tratados com neuroestimulação elétrica periférica não invasiva, sugerindo que essa abordagem pode ser benéfica para pacientes que não respondem a outros tratamentos convencionais ou que apresentam efeitos colaterais adversos. Além disso, a estimulação elétrica nervosa periférica não invasiva é uma técnica segura e bem tolerada pelos pacientes.

Prognostic factors of unilateral prelemniscal radiations radiofrequency lesions: A surgical technique for the treatment of Parkinson's disease motor symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: A group of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) were managed with unilateral prelemniscal radiation radiofrequency lesions (U-Raprl). The current study aims to evaluate prognostic factors that could influence clinical response. METHODS: Patients previously diagnosed with PD managed with U-Raprl were included in the study, classifying them into two groups according to their percentage of clinical response ( 1.5), Age (p < 0.0001, ∆ = 2.38), Evolution (p < 0.0001, ∆ = 2.38), and post-operative UPDRS (p < 0.01, ∆ = 1.38). The qualitative analysis of the distribution regarding the responder group shows that those patients with an age under 58 years, an evolution fewer than 7 years, and a preoperative HYS score smaller than 2, showed a response ≥ 50% according to the UPDRS-III in all cases. CONCLUSION: U-Raprl is a highly effective procedure with a 5-year persistence of improvement. The most relevant prognostic factors to consider for a clinical response according to UPDRS-III greater than 50% are age under 58 years, less than 7 years of PD evolution, and HYS less or equal to 3.

Identification and Characterization of Short-Term Motor Patterns in Rest Tremor of Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

(1) Background: The dynamics of hand tremors involve nonrandom and short-term motor patterns (STMPs). This study aimed to (i) identify STMPs in Parkinson's disease (PD) and physiological resting tremor and (ii) characterize STMPs by amplitude, persistence, and regularity. (2) Methods: This study included healthy (N = 12, 60.1 ± 5.9 years old) and PD (N = 14, 65 ± 11.54 years old) participants. The signals were collected using a triaxial gyroscope on the dorsal side of the hand during a resting condition. Data were preprocessed and seven features were extracted from each 1 s window with 50% overlap. The STMPs were identified using the clustering technique k-means applied to the data in the two-dimensional space given by t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE). The frequency, transition probability, and duration of the STMPs for each group were assessed. All STMP features were averaged across groups. (3) Results: Three STMPs were identified in tremor signals (p < 0.05). STMP 1 was prevalent in the healthy control (HC) subjects, STMP 2 in both groups, and STMP3 in PD. Only the coefficient of variation and complexity differed significantly between groups. (4) Conclusion: These results can help professionals characterize and evaluate tremor severity and treatment efficacy.

Alteration of hippocampal Egr3, GABA A receptors, Il-1ß, Il6 and Ccl3 expression in audiogenic tremor mice after seizure.

Neuroinflammation plays a protective role in the brain; however, in neurological diseases such as epilepsy, overactivated neuroinflammation, along with overexpression of inflammatory mediators, can cause neuronal tissue damage, which can trigger seizures due to loss of ionic or neurotransmitter homeostasis. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines, early growth response factor 3 (Egr3), and GABA A receptors in the hippocampus of naive audiogenic mutant tremor mice, and stimulated tremor mice after a seizure. Gene expression of Il-1ß, Il-6, Tnf-α, Ccl2, Ccl3, Egr3, Gabra1, and Gabra4 from hippocampal samples of naive and stimulated tremor mice were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Relative to resistant mice, Ccl3 gene expression was increased and Il6 was decreased in the hippocampus of naïve tremor mice. Thirty minutes after a seizure, Ccl3 and Il-1ß mRNA expression were decreased (p < 0.0001; p = 0.0034, respectively) while Il6 was increased (p = 0.0052) in stimulated tremor mice, relative to naïve animals. In addition, Egr3, Gabra1, and Gabra4 mRNA expression was decreased in the hippocampus of naive tremor mice, relative to resistant mice, which increased 30 minutes after a seizure (p = 0.0496; p = 0.0447, and p = 0.0011, respectively), relative to naïve animals. In conclusion, overexpression of Ccl3 in the hippocampus of naive tremor mice, followed by downregulation soon after seizure in stimulated tremor mice, could be involved in changes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in epilepsy. Il-1ß may be involved in hippocampal downregulation of GABA A receptors of naive tremor mice, characterizing an important mechanism in audiogenic seizures triggering. Hippocampal alterations of proinflammatory cytokines, Egr3, and GABA A receptors in tremor mice reinforce them as an alternative tool to modeling temporal lobe epilepsy.

Decreasing the Symptoms of Essential Tremor With Medical Painting Therapy.

Introduction Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder in the elderly. Bilateral postural tremor usually involves the hands and forearms; the primary diagnostic criteria can be with or without a kinetic tremor. Anticonvulsants are frequently prescribed as a primary medication, and botulinum toxin and deep brain stimulation as secondary options. In this case report, a patient with ET received medical painting therapy guided by the principles of anthroposophy and the work of Liane Collot d´Herbois. Case Presentation A 78-year-old woman presented ET, depression and bipolar symptoms. Additionally, she reported insomnia, constipation, lumbar pain, and sciatic pain. Current medications included lithium carbonate, folic acid, levothyroxine, and zinc, and she had refused to take propranolol for her ET. She agreed to begin medical painting therapy. Over 5 months, she had 16 sessions of medical painting therapy, carried out in 2 stages. The first stage consisted of 6 free painting sessions for patient evaluation, followed by the second stage of 10 therapeutic sessions. Conclusion The patient reported an increased quality of life (including emotional aspects) and a decrease in her ET, as evidenced by the patient's handwriting. Further research is needed to understand the strengths and limitations of this therapy for ET and related conditions.

Drug-induced tremor, clinical features, diagnostic approach and management.

Tremor is the most common movement disorder and there are numerous causes of tremor. In many individuals, tremor can be due to drugs. The most common drugs associated with tremor include amiodarone, selective serotonin (and norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs/SNRIs), amitriptyline, lithium, valproate, ß-adrenoceptor agonists, dopamine receptor antagonists, VMAT2 inhibitors, or drugs of abuse: ethanol, cocaine, etc. Drug-induced tremor usually resembles essential or parkinsonian tremor, depending on the offending drug; however, features such as unilateral, task-specific, position-dependent tremor or sudden onset, distractibility, entrainment and arrest with contralateral movements suggest etiologies such as dystonic or functional (psychogenic) tremor. Risk factors for drug-induced tremor include polypharmacy, male gender, older age, high doses and immediate-release preparations or reaching toxic levels of the offending drugs. Drug-induced tremor usually resolves once the offending medication is discontinued, however, persistent tremor may be observed in some cases (tardive tremor). In this manuscript, we discuss the most common causes of drug-induced tremor. This article is part of the Special Issue "Tremor" edited by Daniel D. Truong, Mark Hallett, and Aasef Shaikh.

Visuospatial processing and fine motor function among 7-years old Guadeloupe children pre- and postnatally exposed to the organochlorine pesticide chlordecone.

BACKGROUND: Chlordecone is an organochlorine that was largely used as an insecticide to control a species of root borers, the Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), in the French West Indies, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Its molecules have been shown to be very persistent in the environment as pollution in soils leading to contamination of water sources and foodstuff will last for several decades. Our team previously reported associations between prenatal chlordecone exposure and poorer fine motor development at two points in time during infancy. OBJECTIVE: To document whether effects of prenatal exposure to chlordecone previously reported persists until middle-childhood, and whether deleterious effects are observed in domain of visual processing. Associations with postnatal exposure and sex-specific vulnerabilities were also investigated. METHODS: We examined 410 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort in Guadeloupe at 7 years of age. Concentrations of chlordecone and other environmental contaminants were measured in cord- and children's blood at age 7 years. Fine motor function was assessed using the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition (BOT-2). The Computerized Adaptive Testing System (CATSYS) was used to evaluated postural hand tremor, while non-verbal visuospatial processing was measured using the Stanford Binet copying (S-B copying) test. We used adjusted multiple linear regressions to test the relationship between children's scores and both continuous and categorical blood chlordecone concentrations, adding child sex as a moderator in continuous models. RESULTS: Cord chlordecone concentrations are associated with a regular frequency pattern of subtle hand tremors in both hands, and not related to visual processing and fine motor precision. Chlordecone concentrations in blood sample collected at testing time are associated with poorer visual processing when copying geometric figures, but not significantly related to poorer fine movement precision in tasks requiring pencil, scissors and paper. No sex-specific vulnerability was reported in any of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These results at school aged expand those previously reported in the same cohort during infancy at age 7- and 18 months, and corroborate the negative effects of chlordecone exposure on fine motor function in absence of intoxication. Our results support the need to continue public health efforts aimed at reducing exposure especially among women of child bearing age and young children.

Computer models evaluating hand tremors in Parkinson's disease patients.

One of the most characteristic signs of Parkinson's disease (PD) is hand tremor. The MDS-UPDRS scale evaluates different aspects of the disease. The tremor score is a part of the MDS-UPDRS scale, which provides instructions for rating it, by observation, with an integer from 0 to 4. Nevertheless, this form of assessment is subjective and dependent on visual acuity, clinical judgment, and even the mood of the individual examiner. On the other hand, in many cases, existing computational models proposed to resolve the disadvantages of the MDS-UPDRS scale may have uncertainty in differentiating a category of a slight Parkinson tremor from voluntary movements. In this study, 554 measurements from Parkinson's patients, and 60 measurements from healthy subjects, were recorded with inertial sensors placed on the back of each hand. Five biomechanical indicators characterised the hand tremor. With these indicators, the three fuzzy inference models proposed can differentiate, in the first instance, the presence of postural or resting tremor from a normal movement of the hand, and if detected, to determine its severity. The fuzzy inference models allowed following the criteria of the MDS-UPDRS scale, providing an evaluation with an accuracy of two decimal digits and which, due to its simplicity, can be implemented in clinical environments. The assessments of three experts validated the computer model.