Tremor revisited: treatment of PD tremor

Abstract

Parkinsonian tremor is among the most emblematic medical signs and is one of the cardinal manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD). Its semiology has been extensively addressed by ancient and contemporary medical literature, but more attention has been dedicated to its medical treatment in the past than nowadays. Among the hundreds of studies performed to determine the value of medical and surgical approaches on motor and non motor signs of PD, only a minority specifically considered effect on tremor as an efficacy outcome. Current available guidelines for PD treatment include attempts to specifically address tremor treatment but stress the low level of evidences available. In these conditions, with its still poorly understood pathophysiological basis and variable clinical expression PD tremor treatment is a clinical challenge. Only surgery (lesion or high frequency stimulation) of discrete deep brain targets consistently provides symptomatic long lasting alleviation. Through revision of contemporary scientific evidence, the purpose of this paper is to offer a systematic pragmatic approach to symptomatic management of tremor as one of the distinctive signs of PD that may generate substantial disability.