Tremor news

[Guest guest]

(Note: While essential tremor stands alone as its own disability, there

are some of us with CMT that have essential tremor with our CMT, so I am

posting this FYI. ~ G)

Impact of thalamic deep brain stimulation on disability and

health-related quality of life in patients with essential tremor - From

the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, January 2002,

Vol. 72. No 1.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of thalamic deep brain stimulation

(DBS) on disability and health-related quality of life in patients with

essential tremor.

Methods: Twenty seven consecutive patients were evaluated prospectively,

before surgery and at a mean of 12 months (range 6–26) after thalamic

DBS. Assessment tools included the Fahn-Tolosa-Marìn tremor rating scale

(TRS), activities of daily living (ADL) taxonomy, Nottingham health

profile (NHP) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for measuring impact

of disease on life. Additional information on the side effects of, and

expectations from surgery was obtained by interview.

Results: Thalamic DBS improved the ability of the patients in eating,

drinking, writing, home maintenance, hobbies, and participation in

society. Activities of daily life requiring bimanual skills were less

improved. The emotional condition of the patients was positively

affected and the negative impact of the disease on life as a whole, and

on social life was decreased. Seventy per cent of the patients

considered that the surgical treatment met their expectations.

Conclusions: After thalamic DBS, health-related quality of life

including disability in ADL and social life were improved in patients

with essential tremor.

G-M Hariz1, M Lindberg2 and A T Bergenheim1

1 Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital of Northern

Sweden, Umeå, Sweden

2 Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Section of

Occupational Therapy, Umeå University, Sweden

Correspondence to:

Dr A T Bergenheim, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University

Hospital, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden;

tommy.bergenheim@...