Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T07:59:37.189Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Writer’s Cramp and Tremor Due to Brain Tumor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

I. Milanov  and
D. Georgiev
I. Milanov*
Affiliation:
Medical University Hospital – IV klm., Ill Neurological Clinic, Sofia, Bulgaria
D. Georgiev*
Affiliation:
Medical University Hospital – IV klm., Ill Neurological Clinic, Sofia, Bulgaria
*
Medical University Hospital – IV kilometer, III Neurological Clinic, Blvd. Tzarigradsko shosse – IV kilometer. Sofia 1113. Bulgaria
Medical University Hospital – IV kilometer, III Neurological Clinic, Blvd. Tzarigradsko shosse – IV kilometer. Sofia 1113. Bulgaria
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract:

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Writer’s cramp is frequently associated with hand tremor and with other focal dystonias. Sometimes brain infarction, haemorrhage, arterio-venous malformations or tumors are found to cause symptomatic focal dystonias. A 44-year-old man came to our attention due to writer’s cramp of his right hand and postural 6-8 Hz tremor. About three months after the onset of the disease the tremor and dystonia disappeared, while a right hemiparesis gradually appeared. Cranial computed tomography showed a hypodense nonhomogeneous lesion in the left cerebral hemisphere parietally, that was assumed to represent a cystic tumor. The patient underwent craniotomy and the histological diagnosis revealed an astrocytoma (Grade II-III). In conclusion our findings confirm the common anatomical basis of symptomatic focal dystonia and tremor. Both can appear after disruption of the pathways within and adjacent to the basal ganglia.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , February 1995 , pp. 59 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1995

References

1. Cohen, LG, Hallett, M.Hand cramps: clinical features and electromyographic patterns in a focal dystonia. Neurology 1988; 38: 1005–1012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Sheehy, MP, Marsden, CD.Writer’s cramp: a focal dystonia. Brain 1982; 105:461–480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Jedynak, CP, Bonnet, AM, Agid, Y.Tremor and idiopathic dystonia. MovDisord 1991; 6: 230–236.Google ScholarPubMed
4. Fahn, S.Dystonia: where next? In: Quinn, NP, Jenner, PG, eds. Disorders of Movement: Clinical, Pharmacological and Physiological aspects. London: Academic Press, 1989:349–357.Google Scholar
5. Teychenne, PF.A review of the neurochemical basis and current rationale for treatment in Huntington’s chorea, tardive dyskinesia and dystonia. In: Teychenne, PF, ed. Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides. Taipei: Excerptra Medica, Asia Pacific Congress Series No 32, 1983:41–53.Google Scholar
6. Berardelli, A.The pathophysiology of dystonia. In: Quinn, NP, Jenner, PG, eds. Disorders of Movement: Clinical, Pharmacological and Physiological aspects. London: Academic Press, 1989: 251–261.Google Scholar
7. Burke, D.Pathophysiological aspects of rigidity and dystonia. In: Benecke, R, Conrad, B, Marsden, CD, eds. Motor Disturbances 1. London: Academic Press, 1987: 87–100.Google Scholar
8. Krauss, JK, Mohadjer, M, Nobbe, F, Scheremet, R.Hemidystonia due to a contralateral parieto-occipital metastasis: disappearance after removal of the mass lesion. Neurology 1991; 41: 1519–1520.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Lorenzana, L, Cabezudo, JM, Porras, LF, et al. Focal dystonia secondary to cavernous angioma of the basal ganglia: case report and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 1992; 31: 1108–1111.Google ScholarPubMed
10. Meyrignac, C, Keravel, Y, Boulu, P, Nguyen, JP, Degos, JD.Crampe des écrivains et meningiome frontal gauche. Rev Neurol (Paris) 1988; 144, 5:378–380.Google Scholar
11. Roos, RAC, Bruyn, GW.Symptomatic dystonias. In: Vinken, PJ, Bruyn, GW, Klawans, HL, eds. Handbook of Clinical Neurology vol 5(49). Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1986: 499–518.Google Scholar
12. Marsden, CD, Obeso, JA, Zarranz, JJ, Lang, AE.The anatomical basis of symptomatic hemidystonia. Brain 1985; 108: 463–483.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Narbona, J, Obeso, JA, Tunon, T, Martinez-Lage, JM, Marsden, CD.Hemi-dystonia secondary to localised basal ganglia tumor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1984; 47: 704–709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Obeso, JA, Giménez-Roldan, S.Clinicopathological correlation in symptomatic hemidystonia. In: Fahn, S, Marsden, CD, Calne, DB, eds. Dystonia 2. Advances in Neurology vol 50. New York: Raven Press, 1988: 113–122.Google Scholar
15. Lee, RG.Physiology of the basal ganglia: an overview. Can J Neurol Sci 1984; 11: 124–128.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. LeDoux, MS, Lorden, JF.Focal dystonia secondary to cavernous angioma of the basal ganglia: case report and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 1993; 32: 6: 1056.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Marsden, CD, Obeso, J, Rothwell, JC.Benign essential tremor is not a single entity. In: Yahr, MD, ed. Current Concepts in Parkinson’s Disease. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica, 1983: 31–46.Google Scholar
18. Maillet-Vioud, M, Irthum, B.Syndrome parkinsonien unilateral en rapport avec un meningiome sphenoidal. Presse Medicale-Paris. 1993; 22: 920.Google ScholarPubMed
19. Miyagi, Y, Morioka, T, Otsuka, M, Fukui, M.Striatal glucose metabolism and [18F]fluorodopa uptake in a patient with tumor-induced hemiparkinsonism. Neurosurgery 1993; 32: 838–641.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Kulali, A, Tugtekin, M, Utkur, Y.Erkurt, S.Ipsilateral hemi-parkinsonism secondary to an astrocytoma. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1991; 54: 653.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Shahani, BT, Young, RR.Physiological and pharmacological aids in the differential diagnosis of tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1976; 39: 772–783.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Mossuto-Agatiello, L, Puccetti, G, Castellano, AE.“Rubral” tremor after thalamic haemorrhage. J Neurology 1993; 241: 27–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Buey, PC, Case, TJ.Tremor: physiological mechanism and abolition by surgical means. Arch Neurol Psychiatry 1949; 41: 721–746.Google Scholar
24. Walker, AE.Cerebral pedunculotomy for the relief of involuntary movements. Parkinsonian tremor. J Nerv Ment Dis 1952; 116: 766–775.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Diederich, N, Goetz, CG, Stebbins, GT, et al. Blinded evaluation confirms long-term asymmetric effects of unilateral thalamotomy or subthalamotomy on tremor in Parkinson’s disease. Neurology 1992; 42: 1311–1314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26. Ohye, E, Hirai, T, Miyazaki, M, Shibazaki, T, Nakajima, H.Vim thalamotomy for the treatment of various kinds of tremor. Appl Neurophysiol 1981; 45:275–280.Google Scholar
27. Andrew, RL, Fowler, CJ, Harrison, MJG.Stereotaxic thalamotomy in 55 cases of dystonia. Brain 1983; 106: 981–1000.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed