Neuroimaging in Essential Tremor

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder and one of the most frequent neurological disorders. The pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for generating the action tremors are poorly understood, and the diagnosis remains predominantly clinical. There is accumulating evidence that ET is central in origin, and oscillatory circuits involving the brainstem, cerebellum, subcortical, and cortical motor system are involved in generating the tremors. Imaging applications in ET are currently performed for research purposes with the notable exception of single-photon computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]-FP-CIT that is used clinically to help differentiate patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (iPD) from those with ET. Advances in neuroimaging techniques and sophisticated computational techniques have allowed an improved understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. This chapter will review structural and functional neuroimaging research conducted in ET and provide a preview of future applications and their potential impact on the field.