Cited by 155Neurological disorders and treatmentsParkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeurological and metabolic disorders

Distinguishing essential tremor from Parkinson's disease: bedside tests and laboratory evaluations

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Thenganatt, Mary Ann, Louis, Elan D·2012·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics

Abstract

Distinguishing essential tremor from Parkinson's disease can be challenging, both in the early stages of these diseases and as these diseases progress. Various tremor types (rest, postural, kinetic and intention) may be seen in both essential tremor and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, with time, the two diseases may coexist within a single patient. Detailed clinical examination with attention to specific features of tremor (frequency, amplitude, pattern and distribution) and associated neurological findings may help distinguish patients with the two diseases. Laboratory testing may provide information that further aids in differentiating the two diseases. These tests include accelerometry and surface electromyography, spiral analysis, dopamine transporter imaging, olfactory testing and, eventually, postmortem histopathology. These tests have limitations and their diagnostic utility requires additional study.

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  • The frequency of PD's tremor lies between 4 and 6 Hz.

    “According to Puschmann et al.2, Lenka et al.14, and Thenganatt et al.15, the frequency of PD’s tremor lies between 4 and 6 Hz.”
  • Complex diagnostic procedures such as dopamine transporter imaging are powerful diagnostic aids but are lengthy, expensive, and not widely available.

    “Complex diagnostic procedures, such as dopamine transporter imaging, can be powerful diagnostic aids but are lengthy and expensive procedures that are not widely available.”
  • Both resting and kinetic tremors can be observed in both PD and ET, with resting tremors reported in up to 46% of ET and postural tremors in up to 90% of PD.

    “However, both resting and kinetic tremors can be observed in both PD and ET, with resting tremors having been reported in up to 46% of individuals with a diagnosis of ET and postural tremors having been reported in up to 90% of individuals with a diagnosis of PD (Louis, Hernandez & Michalec, 2015; Thenganatt & Louis, 2012), though the reported range of this overlap in tremor types ranges widely”
  • Due to similarities in tremor characteristics for PD vs ET, distinguishing some features without electronic aids can be difficult.

    “However, due to the similarities in tremor characteristics for PD vs. ET, distinguishing some of these features without electronic aids can be difficult (Chen et al., 2017; Jain, Lo & Louis, 2006; Thenganatt & Louis, 2012).”
  • Detailed clinical examination with attention to specific tremor features and associated neurological findings can help distinguish patients with PD and ET.

    “Detailed clinical examination with attention to specific tremor features (frequency, amplitude, pattern, and distribution) and associated neurological findings can help distinguish patients with the two diseases (Thenganatt & Louis, 2012).”

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Authors
Thenganatt, M. A., & Louis, E. D.
Affiliations
Columbia University (US)
Corresponding author
Louis, Elan D
Venue
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
Published
2012-06
Volume
12
Issue
6
Pages
687-696
ISSN
  • 1473-7175 (ISSN-L)
  • 1744-8360
OpenAlex
W2115375665
Cited by
155
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 1
FWCI
4.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01 NS 42859, T32NS07153-24, R01 NS 36630, R01NS042859, R01NS036630, T32NS007153, R01NS073872, R21NS077094, R01 NS 39422, R01NS039422)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Neurological disorders and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Neurological and metabolic disorders
Keywords
essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, differential diagnosis, resting tremor, postural tremor, kinetic tremor, intention tremor, accelerometry, surface electromyography, dopamine transporter imaging, olfactory testing, postmortem histopathology
MeSH terms
Diagnosis, Differential, Diagnostic Imaging, Electromyography, Humans, Parkinson Disease, Physical Examination, Point-of-Care Systems, Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Essential Tremor

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