March 13, 2024 – People with essential tremor are nearly three times as likely to develop dementia compared to the general population, new research shows.
The study is “the most complete exposition of the longitudinal trajectory of cognitive impairment in an ET cohort,” say the authors, led by Elan D. Louis, MD, MSc, from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.For the study, 222 adults with essential tremor underwent detailed cognitive tests and were followed for an average of 5 years.
During follow up, the total rate of dementia was 18.5% and 12.2% of participants moved from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. The overall rate of dementia among patients with tremor is roughly 300% greater than that among people in the general population, and 50% greater than that reported for adults with Parkinson's disease.
“Our data indicate that the prevalence of and conversion rates to dementia in ET fall between those associated with the natural course of aging and the more pronounced rates observed in individuals with PD,” the researchers wrote.Reached for comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, neurologist and researcher based in Miami, said, “The days of viewing as just a 'nuisance tremor' are over. This study shatters the notion that essential tremor is a trivial condition.