Tremor disorders: Identification and treatment

Tremor, one of the most common neurological disorders, may be defined simply as a rhythmic and sinusoidal movement. The abundant array of tremors may be classified along multiple axes, and this results in a nosology which can be confusing to the novice. In general, however, all tremors may be simply classified as either rest tremors or action tremors. This review focuses on some of the more common tremor disorders as well as those that are most relevant to clinical psychiatrists. The most common cause of rest tremor is Parkinson's disease, treated with levodopa, amantadine, and anticholinergic agents. The most common cause of action tremor is physiologic tremor and essential tremor, treated with propranolol and primidone. The major indications for treating tremor are social embarrassment or functional disability.