Essential Tremor Flashcards
motor system involved in mostly voluntary muscle movement
pyramidal
motor system that target neurons in spinal cord responsible for control of motor tone, movement amount/velocity, suppression of undesirable motor activity, and reflexes
extrapyramidal
motor system that is direct and monosynaptic
pyramidal
motor system that is indirect and polysynaptic
extrapyramidal
which component of the extrapyramidal system is responsible for excitatory output?
cerebellum
which component of the extrapyramidal system is responsible for inhibitory output?
basal nuclei
that most common cause of action (postural) tremor
essential tremor
where is the problem in essential tremor most likely localized? (2)
brainstem
cerebellum
what 2 actions can initiate an essential tremor?
voluntary movement
fixed posture against gravity
how does essential tremor affect one side of the body vs the other? (2)
bilateral
asymmetric
what part of the body is NOT involved in essential tremor?
legs
what 3 difficulties will a patient report having?
difficulty handwriting
manual skill difficulty
difficullty speaking
what makes an essential tremor worse?
anxiety/excitement
what makes an essential tremor improve?
mild alcohol consumption
what 4 criteria must be met to be diagnosed with essential tremor?
bilateral upper limb action tremor
for at least 3 years
can involve tremor in other locations
absence of other neurological signs
