Session Information
Date: Sunday, October 7, 2018
Session Title: Tremor
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Hall 3FG
Objective: To study the relationship between cognitive function and tremor severity in essential tremor
Background: Essential tremor (ET) is a common neurological disorder, which characterized by uncontrollable postural and intention tremor typically affecting the hands, legs, trunk, head, or voice. ET is not exclusively a tremor disorder; it is also associated with cognitive dysfunction. However, the studies about the relationship between cognitive function and tremor severity in ET are rare.
Methods: The following measures were cross-sectionally assessed in a group of 25 subjects (4 female, 21 male) with ET: Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST), Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire (QUEST) and Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).
Results: The 25 patients had a mean age of 58.1±11.8 years (range, 27 to 78) and a mean disease duration of 20.8±13.0 years (range, 1 to 50). At cognitive assessment by CDR, 76% was normal range (CDR=0), 16% was mild cognitive impairment (MCI, CDR=0.5) and 8% was mild dementia (CDR=1). The mean MMSE, CASI, MoCA and NPI were 27.7±2.2, 89.9±5.8, 25.2±4.6, and 1.5±2.3. The mean total CRST score for tremor severity was 46.0±16.0 (range, 22 to 87). The total CRST score was associated with older age (p<0.05), and negatively associated with CASI and MoCa (p<0.05 and p<0.01). The mean QUEST and PHQ-9 were 73.4±23.2 and 6.7±4.0.
Conclusions: The study confirms that partial ET patients suffer from cognitive dysfunction. The tremor severity is independently associated with reductions in level of some cognitive functions.
References: 1. Cognitive Dysfunction Is Associated with Greater Imbalance and Falls in Essential Tremor. Front. Neurol. 8:154. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00154. 2. Self-reported Physical Activity in Essential Tremor: Relationship with Tremor, Balance, and Cognitive Function. J Neurol Sci. 2016;15; 366: 240–245.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
C.Y. Wei, W.K. Tsai, H.C. Lai, W.C. Chang, T. Taira. Cognitive functions are associated with tremor severity in essential tremor [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2018; 33 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cognitive-functions-are-associated-with-tremor-severity-in-essential-tremor/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2018 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cognitive-functions-are-associated-with-tremor-severity-in-essential-tremor/