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The New York Times July 22, 2003 Head and Hand Tremors By C. CLAIBORNE RAY Q. Why did Katharine Hepburn's head shake? A. Katharine Hepburn's ailment, recently discussed on television by her niece Katharine Houghton, was not Parkinson's disease, but a progressive yet treatable neurological disorder called essential tremor. Ms. Hepburn's was referred to as familial tremor, the inherited form. Each child of a parent with the disease has a 50 percent chance of inheriting a gene that causes it. In other cases, there is no family history. The disorder, which varies in location and severity, used to be called palsy. The International Essential Tremor Foundation, which offers information and helps search for a cure, says the disease stems from abnormal communication among areas of the brain, including the cerebellum, thalamus and brain stem. The group estimates that 10 million people in the United States and 200 million people worldwide have some form of the problem, often undiagnosed. Many do not seek treatment because they fear Parkinson's or think tremors are part of aging. Shaking, usually starting with the hands, can begin at any age but is more common in older people; tremors starting with the head are more common in women. "Someone with an unexplained tremor should consult a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders," said Catherine Rice, a foundation spokeswoman. Its Web site, http://www.essentialtremor.org , includes a list of specialists. SOURCE: The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/22/health/22QNA.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn