The cerebellar involvement in essential tremor: the connecting roads

TL;DR

Essential tremor involves the cerebellum and is linked to abnormalities in brain circuits, suggesting it is a neurodegenerative condition.

Contribution

The paper highlights the cerebellum's role in essential tremor through multiple lines of evidence.

Findings

Genetic and neuropathological studies show cerebellar involvement in essential tremor.

Neuroimaging reveals functional and structural abnormalities in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit.

Essential tremor is characterized as a neurodegenerative syndrome with varied causes.

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET) is the most prevalent movement disorder globally, affecting about 1% of the general population and 5% of those aged over 65 years. Characterized by involuntary, rhythmic oscillations, it primarily manifests as postural and kinetic tremors, predominantly in the upper limbs. Genetic studies, neuropathological examinations, neurophysiological assessments, and various neuroimaging techniques have demonstrated functional, neurotransmitter-related, and structural abnormalities within the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit. These findings collectively portray ET as a neurodegenerative syndrome with diverse etiologies and clinical manifestations, highlighting the involvement of the cerebellum.

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