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Management of Essential Tremor

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Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common movement disorders with prevalence estimates ranging from 0.4 to 5% [1]. It is common to see several members of the same family affected and it is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. ET may present as early as childhood, but most commonly occurs in older adults and males and females are equally affected. Tremor frequency is generally 4–12 Hz with variable amplitude. The tremor is most commonly postural and/or kinetic and is generally not present in the rest position. It is not uncommon for the tremor to be increased with anxiety or stress [2]. It has been estimated that upper extremity tremor is present in 95% of ET patients, head tremor is present in 34%, lower extremity tremor in 20%, voice tremor in 12% and involvement of the tongue, face or trunk in 5% [3]. The main disability is related to activities requiring use of the dominant hand such as writing, eating, drinking, and other activities requiring fine movements.

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Authors
  1. J. M. Nazzaro
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  2. K. E. Lyons
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  3. R. Pahwa
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Research Chair in Neuroscience (Tier 1), 399 Bathurst St. WW 4-447, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Andres M. Lozano (Professor of Surgery and RR Tasker Chair in Functional Neurosurgery University of Toronto Senior Scientist, Toronto Western Research Institute President, World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery) (Professor of Surgery and RR Tasker Chair in Functional Neurosurgery University of Toronto Senior Scientist, Toronto Western Research Institute President, World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery)

  2. Houston Stereotactic Concepts, Inc., 2260 West Holcombe Boulevard Suite 309, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA

    Philip L. Gildenberg

  3. University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St. WW 4-447, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Ronald R. Tasker

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Nazzaro, J.M., Lyons, K.E., Pahwa, R. (2009). Management of Essential Tremor. In: Lozano, A.M., Gildenberg, P.L., Tasker, R.R. (eds) Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69960-6_104

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69960-6_104

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-69959-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69960-6

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