Autonomic dysfunction in patients with essential tremor

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the autonomic function in patients with essential tremor (ET). Thirty-one adult patients with ET and 26 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The electrophysiological evaluations of the autonomic nervous system function were performed by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R-R interval variation (RRIV) tests. The mean latency of SSR in ET patients was significantly delayed compared with the controls (P = 0.01). The mean amplitude of sympathetic skin response was significantly lower in ET patients in comparison to the controls (P = 0.001). No differences were found in mean RRIV values in both group subjects. Sympathetic dysfunction may occur in patients with ET. This may be easily demonstrated by SSR tests.