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The Nature of Primary Vocal Tremor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

V.C. Hachinski*
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Otolaryngology, Bispebjerg Hospital and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Ontario Department of Health Fellowship
I.V. Thomsen
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Otolaryngology, Bispebjerg Hospital and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
N.H. Buch
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Otolaryngology, Bispebjerg Hospital and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
*
MacLachlan Stroke Unit, Sunnybrook Hospital and University of Toronto Clinic, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4N 3M5.
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Summary:

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Three elderly women with marked progressive voice tremor, without other neurological symptoms, and negative family histories were investigated.

All had a 4-5 Hz respiratory tremor in expiration and, to a lesser degree, in inspiration; and all had vocal tremulousness synchronous with their respiratory irregularity. Articulation of phonemes was normal. In two cases the neurological examination was otherwise normal; in the third case there was a minimal 7½ Hz tremor in the left thumb and index finger.

Simultaneous speech and vocal air pressure recordings, as well as cinematographic studies of the vocal apparatus and diaphragm were carried out.

It is suggested that these cases represent primarily an action tremor of respiration, that they belong in the spectrum of essential tremor, and hence may be amenable to treatment with propranolol.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1975

References

REFERENCES

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Marshall, J. (1968). Tremor, in Vinken, P.J. and Bruyn, G.W., (Eds.) Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Amsterdam, North-Holland Publishing Company, Vol. 6, pp. 809825.Google Scholar
Winkler, G.F. and Young, R.R. (1974). Efficacy of chronic propranolol therapy in action tremors of the familial, senile or essential varieties N. Engl. J. Med. 290, 984988.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed