HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tanner, C. M. Articles by Koller, W. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tanner, C. M. Articles by Koller, W. C. Related Collections Tremor All Genetics

Essential tremor in twins

An assessment of genetic vs environmental determinants of etiology

From the Parkinson’s Institute (Drs. Tanner, Goldman, Tetrud, Langston, and Aston), Sunnyvale, CA; University of Miami (Drs. Lyons and Koller), FL; and University of Southern California (M.D. Welsh), Los Angeles.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Caroline M. Tanner, Parkinson’s Institute, 1170 Morse Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089; e-mail: ctanner{at}parkinsonsinstitute.org

Objective: — To determine the relative contribution of genetics and environment to essential tremor using a twin study method.

Methods: — Twins with postural or kinetic tremor were identified by movement disorders specialists during the conduct of a study investigating PD in members of the National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council World War II Veteran Twins Registry. The diagnosis of essential tremor was made by consensus using established diagnostic criteria.

Results: — A total of 196 twins had postural or kinetic tremor on examination. Of these, 137 had PD or had a twin with PD and were excluded from this study. Thirty-three others were excluded because of incomplete data for their twin. Sixteen twin pairs were identified in which at least one twin had essential tremor. Pairwise concordance in monozygotic twins was approximately two times that in dizygotic twins (0.60 monozygotic, 0.27 dizygotic).

Conclusion: — This pattern is consistent with a genetic cause of essential tremor. Because monozygotic concordance is not 100%, environmental factors may also play a role in the cause of the disease.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. D. Louis, W. Zheng, X. Mao, and D. C. Shungu Blood harmane is correlated with cerebellar metabolism in essential tremor: A pilot study Neurology, August 7, 2007; 69(6): 515 - 520. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Deng, W. Le, and J. Jankovic Genetics of essential tremor Brain, June 1, 2007; 130(6): 1456 - 1464. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Shatunov, N. Sambuughin, J. Jankovic, R. Elble, H. S. Lee, A. B. Singleton, A. Dagvadorj, J. Ji, Y. Zhang, V. E. Kimonis, et al. Genomewide scans in North American families reveal genetic linkage of essential tremor to a region on chromosome 6p23 Brain, September 1, 2006; 129(9): 2318 - 2331. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Rajput, C. A. Robinson, and A. H. Rajput Essential tremor course and disability: A clinicopathologic study of 20 cases Neurology, March 23, 2004; 62(6): 932 - 936. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Lorenz, H. Frederiksen, H. Moises, F. Kopper, G. Deuschl, and K. Christensen High concordance for essential tremor in monozygotic twins of old age Neurology, January 27, 2004; 62(2): 208 - 211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]