WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE PERIPHERAL NERVES OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY IN YOUNG ESSENTIAL TREMOR PATIENTS?

Abstract

Introduction & Objective: Essential tremor (ET), primarily characterized by bilateral hand tremors, is a prevalent neurological disorder. This study aims to compare the upper extremity peripheral nerve electroneuromyography findings in young ET patients to those in healthy individuals, exploring the connection between the peripheral nervous system and ET.

Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional, prospective study, we examined 86 ET patients aged 18-45 with a tremor history of at least three years, and a control group of 86 healthy individuals matched in sociodemographic aspects. These participants underwent detailed nerve conduction studies on a total of 344 upper extremities.

Results: Thirty percent of ET patients had a familial history of the condition. Mild median nerve entrapment at the wrist was more common in ET patients (14) than in controls (5). While median nerve conduction studies showed no significant difference in motor amplitude between groups, motor and sensory nerve distal latencies were notably higher, and conduction velocity (CV) was lower in ET patients (p<0.05). Ulnar nerve conduction studies indicated no significant differences in motor and sensory CV, distal latencies, and amplitudes between groups. However, radial sensory and motor CV values were within normal but lower in ET patients, with longer mean motor and sensory distal latency values compared to controls (p<0.05).

Conclusions: There are noteworthy differences in nerve conduction and amplitude changes between ET patients and healthy individuals. These findings suggest the need for larger studies to further investigate the link between demyelination and ET, especially in the context of nerve conduction variations.

Keywords: Essential tremor, radial nerve, ulnar nerve, median nerve, carpal tunnel syndrome, demyelination