Stereotactic thalamotomy in tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease: an H2(15)O PET motor activation study.

Stereotactic thalamotomy is an effective treatment for severe drug-resistant tremor. The thalamus, however, facilitates motor activity, and thalamotomy would be predicted to inhibit movement-associated cortical activation. Two tremulous parkinsonian patients were studied with H2(15)O positron emission tomography before and after left ventralis intermedius thalamotomy. Subjects were scanned at rest and during performance of externally paced joystick movements in freely selected directions with the right hand. Thalamotomy relieved tremor but, as predicted, led to decreased activation of the left sensorimotor cortex, lateral premotor cortex, and parietal area 7 on hand movement.