Tremor Gram – October 2023

$1 Million Invested in ET Research

Finding better treatments and, someday, a cure for essential tremor (ET) is a top priority for the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF). Since 2001 we have been funding research projects to help us further understand ET.

We are proud to report that as of this year, the IETF has surpassed the $1 million mark in research funding. To date, we have provided $1,025,000 in grant money to scientists and researchers through our IETF Research Fund.

When the grant program was established, the IETF awarded up to two $25,000 grants per year. Today, thanks to generous donors, promising studies now have the potential to receive up to three years of funding with a potential initial grant amount of $150,000 for the first year. The increase in funding has stimulated more interest in ET research and provided us with the ability to fund more comprehensive, in-depth projects.

Applications for 2024 research grants are being reviewed now and our latest research grant recipient will be announced later this year.

Learn about all our current and past research grant recipients online.

Electricity as Medicine

Learn about Cala Health’s TAPS Therapy and their new kIQ system through our latest virtual education event, “Electricity as Medicine.”

Dr. Kate Rosenbluth, founder and CEO of Cala, explains the science behind TAPS Therapy, which stands for:

• Transcutaneous (meaning across the skin)
• Afferent (meaning while the stimulation is at the wrist, the site of action is at the tremor’s control center which is the brain)
• Patterned (the stimulation is individually calibrated)
• Stimulation (electrical excitation or electricity as medicine)

“I really believe essential tremor as well as many other neurologic disorders can actually be treated by measuring each patient’s neural signature and then delivering the precise pulse pattern to counteract that signature,” Dr. Rosenbluth said.

In 2019, the first TAPS therapy, the Cala Trio (wrist-worn device), was launched. Earlier this year, the next generation, the kIQ, was released. It is the first and only FDA-cleared wearable, non-invasive therapy for action hand tremor.

Preview Tremor Talk Magazine

Do you receive our Tremor Talk magazine in the mail? If not, take a look at our recent preview issue.

Tremor Talk is our printed publication offering in-depth personal stories of ingenuity and perseverance, coping skills, and adaptations. Anyone affected by essential tremor (ET) will be able to relate to these uplifting stories. Also included are articles discussing recent advances in ET research, articles from professionals in the field, and other topics of interest to those affected by ET.

Tremor Talk is published three times a year and mailed to annual donors to the IETF. Donations help us cover printing and mailing costs, so we can continue to provide this valuable resource.

If you’ve been missing out, consider making a donation – no minimum amount is required.

Sign Up for a Clinical Trial

If you want to make a difference in the search for better treatments for essential tremor (ET), consider participating in a clinical trial. On our website, we keep an ongoing list of clinical trials recruiting participants.

Here are some of the most recent ones:

·         Researchers in the Voice Lab at The University of Texas at Austin invite individuals with essential tremor to participate in a study of voice. The goals of the study are to understand how speakers control their voice and to develop therapy that improves vocal control. For more information contact the UT Voice Lab, (512) 232-4428, or email voicelab@austin.utexas.edu.

·      Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ EveresT Study is a research study testing the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication that may help decrease tremor severity for people diagnosed with essential tremor (ET). To learn more and sign up for the study, please visit the study website here.

·       The KINETIC 2 TRIAL is evaluating the safety and efficacy of three different doses of an investigational drug compared to a placebo on reducing tremors in adults diagnosed with essential tremor. Participation lasts approximately 19 weeks. Visit the study website at KINETIC2ETtrial.com to learn more.