Tremor Gram – August 2022

Register for our ET Virtual Education Conference

Learn the latest on essential tremor diagnosis, treatment and research at the International Essential Tremor Foundation’s (IETF) Essential Tremor Virtual Education Conference. This first-time event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CST) Saturday, October 29 online. It’s free and open to anyone impacted by essential tremor – patients, caregivers, family members, health professionals and others.

The conference is being made possible by sponsoring partners Sage Therapeutics and Insightec, and bronze partners Allevion Therapeutics and Cala Health. 

Conference speakers will include Dr. Stuart Isaacson, who discuss diagnostic and treatment options for ET; Dr. Holly Shill, who will give an update on ET research; and Kelli Reiling Ott, OTD, OTR/L, who will share ET coping techniques. Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in roundtable discussions on a variety of topics related to ET. Clinicians and medical companies will be involved to showcase some of the latest resources for ET treatment and management.

Registration is open now so go online and plan to be a part of this event.

Learn about Surgical Treatments for ET

If you are considering surgery to help manage your essential tremor (ET), you are probably looking for background information to help you make an informed decision.

The IETF has a comprehensive handout on current surgical options. It can be viewed and downloaded from our website

The handout includes a history of surgical options and gives an overview of deep brain stimulation, focused ultrasound thalamotomy and radiosurgical (Gamma Knife) thalamotomy. It includes pre-op and post-op expectations, plus expected outcomes.

The decision to have any surgical procedure is a difficult one; the decision to have brain surgery, even more so. That’s why it’s important to do your homework in advance. This handout can be a starting point for the process.

Help Find a Cure for Essential Tremor

It’s easy to feel frustrated because of essential tremor. Not being able to control some movements and feeling like there’s just not much that can be done about it…well, it gets old.

But there is something that can be done. Making plans now to donate your brain when the time comes will help neuroscience researchers one day prevent and cure this disorder.

Brain donation is critically needed by researchers trying to solve the mystery of many disorders including essential tremor. High-quality, well-characterized donated brain tissue may be the most valuable resource when it comes to understanding the behaviors of the brain that lead to these devastating symptoms.

The first step is relatively simple: visit braindonorproject.org and click on the box in the upper right-hand corner that’s labelled “brain pre-registration.” Then complete the brief on-line form and hit submit. It’s critical to talk with family about this decision, as they’ll notify the brain bank when the time comes.

Please consider this decision as important as any other regarding your end-of-life plans.