Skip Navigation



Brain Advance Access published online on November 29, 2005
Brain, doi:10.1093/brain/awh684
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Supplementary Data
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
129/4/832    most recent
awh684v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Zadikoff, C.
Right arrow Articles by Klein, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zadikoff, C.
Right arrow Articles by Klein, C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received July 25, 2005
Revised September 30, 2005
Accepted October 17, 2005

Review Article

The ‘essentials’ of essential palatal tremor: a reappraisal of the nosology

C. Zadikoff 1, A. E. Lang 1 *, and C. Klein 2

1 Toronto Western Hospital, Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Center, Toronto, Canada
2 Toronto Western Hospital, Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Center, Toronto, Canada; Department of Neurology, Luebeck University, Luebeck, Germany

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
A. E. Lang, E-mail: lang{at}uhnres.utoronto.ca


  Abstract

Essential palatal tremor (EPT) is an uncommon disorder, distinct from symptomatic palatal tremor (SPT), but characterized by superficially similar rhythmic movements of the soft palate. While the pathophysiology of SPT has been relatively well defined, this is not the case in EPT. Based on an analysis of 103 published cases, we reviewed EPT in the context of other movement disorders with similar features and outline possible pathophysiological mechanisms. Phenomenologically it remains best classified as a tremor. Four major causes, including a central generator, peripheral/mechanical, voluntary/special skill and psychogenic, appear to account for the majority of cases of EPT, although there is considerable overlap in the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these categories. Among the cases reviewed, a large proportion fit into the latter two categories, although there are others where multiple mechanisms are likely at play. Based on our reappraisal, we suggest a change in designation to ‘isolated palatal tremor’, with primary and secondary subtypes. This retains the distinction from SPT and emphasizes the non-uniform, heterogeneous nature of the disorder.

Keywords: essential palatal tremor; nosology; symptomatic palatal tremor; aetiology.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Chest MeetingHome page
C. Jivcu, M. Mathew, D. Baratz, and A. Thomas
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL BREATHING AND PALATAL MYOCLONUS IN A 29-YEAR-OLD FEMALE AFTER SCUBA DIVING
Chest Meeting Abstracts, October 1, 2008; 134(4): c42002 - c42002.
[Abstract]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
A. J. Espay, S. H. Fox, C. Marras, A. E. Lang, and R. Chen
Isolated diaphragmatic tremor: Is there a spectrum in "respiratory myoclonus"?
Neurology, August 14, 2007; 69(7): 689 - 692.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.