Echogenic substantia nigra in patients with orthostatic tremor.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies suggest that the nigrostriatal dopaminergic transmission is impaired in patients with primary orthostatic tremor.


METHODS
We used transcranial sonography (TCS) to examine the morphology of the substantia nigra (SN) in four patients with primary orthostatic tremor (OT).


RESULTS
TCS revealed an SN echogenicity in all patients, in three patients unilaterally, in one patient bilaterally.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficits in OT patients. The exact impact of these dopaminergic deficits on OT generation is unclear.
Spiegel
J
J
Department of Neurology, University of the Saarland, Homburg, Saar, Germany. nejspi@uniklinik-saarland.de
Behnke
S
S
Fuss
G
G
Becker
G
G
Dillmann
U
U
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*; D014202:Tremor / Q000473:pathology*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial