Effect of Alcohol on Tremors

Tremor Clinical Trial

Official title: Effect of Alcohol on Physiologic and Pathologic Tremors

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Tremors are involuntary movements of a part or parts of the body that occur because of alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles. The causes behind most tremors are poorly understood.

Some studies suggest tremors could be caused by abnormalities in a particular area of the brain called the olivary nucleus. Researchers believe that the cells making up the olivary nucleus may be responsible for generating a central rhythm of the body and may therefore also be responsible for the generation of tremors.

Consumption of alcohol has been known to reduce tremors in some patients. Researchers believe that the alcohol may work directly on the cells of the olivary nucleus. As a result, researchers would like to determine the effects of alcohol on three different kinds of tremors (physiological, symptomatic palatal, and essential palatal).

Clinical Trial Description

The pathophysiology and anatomical basis of most tremors remains poorly understood. One particular theory of essential tremor, the olivary hypothesis, has gained support from various studies. These studies point to the olivary nucleus as possible central rhythm generator. Cells in the olivary nucleus show spontaneous rhythmic discharges that can be suppressed by alcohol. Since alcohol is known to suppress tremor in some patients with essential tremor, one can theorize that it is through its effect on the olivary nucleus; that is, the inferior olive is the generator of the tremor. Given this assumption, we intend to study the effect of alcohol on three different kinds of tremor: the 8-12 Hz component of physiological tremor, symptomatic palatal tremor and essential palatal tremor. Our hypothesis is that the central generator of each of these types of tremor lies in the inferior olive and that the ingestion of alcohol should reduce the amplitude of the tremor, similar to the effect of alcohol seen in essential tremor. ;

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Tremor

• NCT number: NCT00001925
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 1999
• Completion date: July 2002