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Motor learning in essential tremor
Author(s) -
Shill Holly A.,
De La Vega Frederick J.,
Samanta Johan,
Stacy Mark
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.22479
Subject(s) - motor learning , cerebellum , neuroscience , pathological , psychology , purkinje cell , essential tremor , reflex , physical medicine and rehabilitation , stimulation , classical conditioning , conditioning , medicine , pathology , statistics , mathematics
Classical conditioning is abnormal in patients with cerebellar degeneration. Pathological studies have recently demonstrated the finding of Purkinje cell loss in a subset of essential tremor (ET). We studied 10 subjects with long duration ET using a blink reflex conditioning paradigm and compared them with nine controls. A 55.6% reduction in motor learning was seen in the first block of stimulation and this finding persisted across all subsequent trials. We conclude that motor learning is significantly abnormal in subjects with advanced ET and likely reflects pathological involvement of the cerebellum. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society