OBJECTIVE Essential tremor (ET) prominently affects the upper-limbs during voluntary movements, but can also affect the lower-limbs, head, and chin. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of thalamus improves both clinical ratings and quantitative measures of tremor, no study has quantified effects of DBS on tremor across multiple body parts. Our objective was to quantify therapeutic effects of DBS across multiple body parts in ET. METHODS We performed quantitative assessment of tremor in ET patients who had DBS for at least one year. We assessed tremor on and off VIM-stimulation using triaxial accelerometers on the upper-limbs, lower-limbs, head and chin during seated and standing tasks. RESULTS VIM-DBS significantly reduced tremor, but there was no statistical difference in degree of tremor reduction across the measured effectors. Compared to healthy controls, ET patients treated with DBS showed significantly greater tremor power (4-8 Hz) across all effectors during seated and standing tasks. CONCLUSIONS VIM-DBS reduced tremor in ET patients. There was no significant difference in the degree of tremor reduction across the measured effectors. SIGNIFICANCE This study provides new quantitative evidence that VIM-DBS is effective at reducing tremor across multiple parts of the body.

中文翻译：

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腹中核深部脑刺激对特发性震颤多个效应器的影响

目的 特发性震颤 (ET) 在随意运动时主要影响上肢，但也可影响下肢、头部和下巴。尽管丘脑腹侧中间核 (VIM) 的深部脑刺激 (DBS) 提高了震颤的临床评级和定量测量，但没有研究量化 DBS 对跨多个身体部位的震颤的影响。我们的目标是量化 DBS 在 ET 中多个身体部位的治疗效果。方法 我们对患有 DBS 至少一年的 ET 患者的震颤进行了定量评估。我们在坐姿和站立任务期间使用上肢、下肢、头部和下巴上的三轴加速度计评估了 VIM 刺激时的震颤。结果 VIM-DBS 显着减少了震颤，但在测量的效应器中，震颤减少的程度没有统计学差异。与健康对照相比，接受 DBS 治疗的 ET 患者在坐姿和站立任务期间所有效应器的震颤功率（4-8 Hz）都显着增强。结论 VIM-DBS 减少了 ET 患者的震颤。所测量的效应器的震颤减少程度没有显着差异。意义 这项研究提供了新的定量证据，证明 VIM-DBS 可有效减少身体多个部位的震颤。所测量的效应器的震颤减少程度没有显着差异。意义 这项研究提供了新的定量证据，证明 VIM-DBS 可有效减少身体多个部位的震颤。所测量的效应器的震颤减少程度没有显着差异。意义 这项研究提供了新的定量证据，证明 VIM-DBS 可有效减少身体多个部位的震颤。