Linking Essential Tremor to the Cerebellum: Physiological Evidence

FILIP, Pavel, Ovidiu V. LUNGU, Mario-Ubaldo MANTO and Martin BAREŠ. Linking Essential Tremor to the Cerebellum: Physiological Evidence. Cerebellum. New York: Springer, 2016, vol. 15, No 6, p. 774-780. ISSN 1473-4222. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12311-015-0740-2.

Basic information

• Original name: Linking Essential Tremor to the Cerebellum: Physiological Evidence
• Authors: FILIP, Pavel (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Ovidiu V. LUNGU (124 Canada), Mario-Ubaldo MANTO (56 Belgium) and Martin BAREŠ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Cerebellum, New York, Springer, 2016, 1473-4222.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30000 3. Medical and Health Sciences
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 3.234
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14110/16:00089199
• Organization unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12311-015-0740-2
• UT WoS: 000387539000013
• Keywords in English: Cerebellum; Essential tremor; Dynamic oscillatory network; Electrophysiology
• Tags: EL OK
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET), clinically characterized by postural and kinetic tremors, predominantly in the upper extremities, originates from pathological activity in the dynamic oscillatory network comprising the majority of nodes in the central motor network. Evidence indicates dysfunction in the thalamus, the olivocerebellar loops, and intermittent cortical engagement. Pathology of the cerebellum, a structure with architecture intrinsically predisposed to oscillatory activity, has also been implicated in ET as shown by clinical, neuroimaging, and pathological studies. Despite electrophysiological studies assessing cerebellar impairment in ET being scarce, their impact is tangible, as summarized in this review. The electromyography–magnetoencephalography combination provided the first direct evidence of pathological alteration in cortico-subcortical communication, with a significant emphasis on the cerebellum. Furthermore, complex electromyography studies showed disruptions in the timing of agonist and antagonist muscle activation, a process generally attributed to the cerebellum. Evidence pointing to cerebellar engagement in ET has also been found in electrooculography measurements, cerebellar repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation studies, and, indirectly, in complex analyses of the activity of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus (an area primarily receiving inputs from the cerebellum), which is also used in the advanced treatment of ET. In summary, further progress in therapy will require comprehensive electrophysiological and physiological analyses to elucidate the precise mechanisms leading to disease symptoms. The cerebellum, as a major node of this dynamic oscillatory network, requires further study to aid this endeavor.

Links

• ED1.1.00/02.0068, research and development project: Name: CEITEC - central european institute of technology