 |
 |
Dear Alf and others, The ideal drug is a drug which can very specifically suppress the activity in the thalamus, without having any other effect elsewhere. Unfortunately, these drugs do not exist, because the available drugs will always have some effect on other systems and thereby causing the well-known side effects. Thus the "drug" which comes close to being very specific is the electrode implantation in the part of the thalamus which is hyperactive. The electrical activity from the small electrode suppresses just the part necessary to be suppressed without any other side effects. The way to go for medication-resistant tremor is thalamic stimulation (provided there are no other Parkinson features, because than the SUB-thalamic stimulation is required!!). Greetings, Chris van der Linden, M.D. Movement Disorder Center St. Lucas Hospital Ghent BELGIUM ----- Original Message ----- From: Alf Cousins <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2000 4:20 AM Subject: Re: why tremor stops during sleep > Chris, > Thank you for the explanation. It looks like the next part of my question > would be harder to answer, given what you said. Can this knowledge be used > as the basis of any form of therapy to control tremor? Are there drugs which > stimulate the reticular formation(without causing instant sleep!)or > preferably, can it be reached by induced mental activity such as hypnosis or > meditation? As an observation, I find that I have no tremor on awakening > and, provided that I remain inactive and relaxed, it does not appear. As > soon as I contemplate starting my daily activities, the tremor begins > (paradoxically, as it is a 'rest' tremor). Maybe this is simply the result > of a lower demand for dopamine in the inactive state as another respondent > suggested. But, if it is triggered by more alert mental activity, it might > be auto-controllable. > regards > Alf > Adelaide, Aus >