Isolated head tremor: A DAT-SPECT and somatosensory temporal discrimination study

Gina Ferrazzano; Viviana Frantellizzi; Maria Ilenia De Bartolo; Maria Silvia De Feo; Antonella Conte; Giovanni Fabbrini; Giuseppe De Vincentis; Alfredo Berardelli

doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.10.015

Isolated head tremor: A DAT-SPECT and somatosensory temporal discrimination study

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2020 Dec:81:56-59. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.10.015. Epub 2020 Oct 9.

Authors

Gina Ferrazzano¹, Viviana Frantellizzi², Maria Ilenia De Bartolo³, Maria Silvia De Feo⁴, Antonella Conte⁵, Giovanni Fabbrini⁶, Giuseppe De Vincentis⁷, Alfredo Berardelli⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ IRCCS NEUROMED, Via Atinense 18, 86077, Pozzilli, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy; IRCCS NEUROMED, Via Atinense 18, 86077, Pozzilli, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy; IRCCS NEUROMED, Via Atinense 18, 86077, Pozzilli, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy; IRCCS NEUROMED, Via Atinense 18, 86077, Pozzilli, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 33059182
DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.10.015

Abstract

Introduction: To better understand the pathophysiology of isolated head tremor, we investigated somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) and dopaminergic neurotransmission with ¹²³I-FP-CIT (DAT-SPECT) in patients with isolated head tremor, as well as potential correlations with their clinical features.

Methods: We enrolled 14 patients with isolated head tremor who underwent clinical examination, STDT testing, and DAT-SPECT.

Results: We found normal radiotracer uptake in both striata as assessed with DAT-SPECT examination, but higher STDT values in patients as compared to healthy subjects. No significant correlations emerged between STDT values, specific binding ratios of radiotracer uptake, and demographic or clinical features.

Conclusion: Our study found normal radiotracer uptake with DAT-SPECT examination, suggesting dopaminergic neurotransmission integrity in patients with isolated head tremor. Patients with isolated head tremor exhibited an abnormally elevated STDT. Both results support the hypothesis that isolated head tremor should be considered a form of dystonia.

Keywords: DAT-SPECT; Dystonia; Isolated head tremor; Somatosensory temporal discrimination.

MeSH terms

Aged
Corpus Striatum / diagnostic imaging
Corpus Striatum / metabolism
Differential Threshold / physiology*
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
Dystonic Disorders / diagnostic imaging
Dystonic Disorders / metabolism
Dystonic Disorders / physiopathology*
Female
Head*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Sensory Thresholds / physiology*
Time Perception / physiology
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
Tremor / diagnostic imaging
Tremor / metabolism
Tremor / physiopathology*
Tropanes

Substances

Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Tropanes
2-carbomethoxy-8-(3-fluoropropyl)-3-(4-iodophenyl)tropane