Session Information
Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Session Title: Tremor
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To explore the relationship between self-reported non-tremor effects of ethanol and objective tremor severity in Essential Tremor (ET).
Background: Ethanol has been demonstrated to improve tremor severity in patients with ET. Ethanol affects multiple non-motor domains including level of alertness and can cause intoxication. It is unknown whether acute effects of ethanol on tremor are related to its non-tremor effects.
Methods: We administered a single standardized dose of oral ethanol to 85 patients with ET. Breath alcohol content (BAC), tremor severity (The Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale [TETRAS], digital spirography), and self-reported alcohol effects (Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale [BAES], Drug Effects Questionnaire [DEQ]) were collected every 20 min after ethanol administration up to 120 minutes. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using ethanol metabolism models.
Results: There was a significant negative correlation between peak BAC and normalized spirography at 60min (p=0.027, Spearman’s rho [ρ]= -0.240). Sedation and stimulation scores did not correlate with tremor severity as measured by spirography and TETRAS, nor did patient self-report measures of "feeling" or "liking" the effect of ethanol, or feeling "intoxicated". Stimulation correlated significantly with peak BAC (p=0.021, ρ= 0.255), while sedation did not. Stimulation also correlated significantly with feeling "high" (p<0.001, ρ=0.377) and "intoxicated" (p=0.017, ρ=0.260), as well as with "liking" (p=0.040, ρ=0.225) and "feeling" (p=0.002, ρ=0.339) the effect of ethanol. Sedation was significantly correlated with subjective ratings of feeling "intoxicated" (p<0.001, ρ=0.396), "high" (p=0.001, ρ=0.366), and "feeling" (p<0.001, ρ=0.412) the effect of ethanol, but not in the domain of "liking" the effect.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that ethanol affects perception of sedation, stimulation, and intoxication. The lack of correlation between the effect on tremor severity and non-motor effects on stimulation, sedation, and intoxication suggests a specific effect of ethanol on central tremor-networks, independent from ethanol’s acute neuropsychological effects.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
J. Thompson-Westra, G. McCrossin, B. Voller, S. Auh, C. Lungu, S. Tinaz, V. Ramchandani, M. Hallett, D. Haubenberger. Comparing tremor- and non-tremor effects of ethanol in patients with essential tremor [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/comparing-tremor-and-non-tremor-effects-of-ethanol-in-patients-with-essential-tremor/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/comparing-tremor-and-non-tremor-effects-of-ethanol-in-patients-with-essential-tremor/