Lenz F A, Normand S L, Kwan H C, Andrews D, Rowland L H, Jones M W, Seike M, Lin Y C, Tasker R R, Dostrovsky J O
Division of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21287-7713, USA.
Mov Disord. 1995 May;10(3):318-28. doi: 10.1002/mds.870100315.
Stereotactic lesions in the thalamus for treatment of parkinsonian tremor are often made at the location where neurons fire at approximately tremor frequency (tremor cells). Some of these cells show a large amount of activity at tremor frequency and are significantly correlated with electromyographic activity (EMG) during tremor. Our analysis of cellular location identifies a cluster of neurons showing activity characterized both by concentration of power at tremor frequency and by significant correlation with EMG. In a retrospective analysis of results in 15 patients, lesions placed within 2 mm of the center of this cluster were uniformly effective in relieving tremor. Therefore, a small lesion targeting this cluster is effective in treatment of parkinsonian tremor.
