title: Movement disorders and alcohol misuse.
abstract: Many movement disorders, including tics, chorea, tremor, myoclonus and parkinsonism, may result from substance abuse. However, alcohol in particular is associated in a more complex manner with two specific movement disorders, essential tremor (ET) and myoclonus-dystonia (M-D). In this review we discuss the comorbidity of alcohol abuse in both ET and M-D, the ameliorative effects of alcohol in both diseases, and review the data evaluating alcohol abuse secondary to self-medication. We also discuss shared pathophysiologic mechanisms in the understanding of both of these disorders, as the elucidation of the mechanisms by which alcohol exerts its effects may lead to novel therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saunders-Pullman
mesh_terms: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015897:Comorbidity; D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D010641:Phenotype; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012651:Self Medication; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000431:Ethanol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D012978:Sodium Oxybate