Post-traumatic tremor

Biary, Nabil MD
Cleeves, Lynn PhD
Findley, Leslie MD
Koller, William MD, PhD

Department of Neurology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL (Dr. Biary)
National Hospital, Queens Square, London, England (Drs. Cleeves and Findley)
Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS. (Dr. Koller)

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Koller, Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103.

Received June 7, 1988. Accepted for publication in final form July 25, 1988.

Neurology 39(1):p 103-106, January 1989.

Article abstract

We present seven cases of tremor caused by mild head injury without loss of consciousness. The interval between head trauma to onset of symptoms was 1 to 4 weeks. A posture and kinetic tremor of the hands and head occurred unassociated with other neurologic signs. Myoclonic-like jerking was frequently present. Neuroimaging studies were normal. Clonazepam administration resulted in tremor reduction in three patients and propranolol decreased tremor in one patient. A tremor, similar to essential tremor, can be a rare complication of head trauma.