title: Tactile and proprioceptive temporal discrimination are impaired in functional tremor.
abstract: METHODS
  In order to obtain further information on the pathophysiology of functional tremor, we assessed tactile discrimination threshold and proprioceptive temporal discrimination motor threshold values in 11 patients with functional tremor, 11 age- and sex-matched patients with essential tremor and 13 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tactile discrimination threshold in both the right and left side was significantly higher in patients with functional tremor than in the other groups. Proprioceptive temporal discrimination threshold for both right and left side was significantly higher in patients with functional and essential tremor than in healthy controls. No significant correlation between discrimination thresholds and duration or severity of tremor was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Temporal processing of tactile and proprioceptive stimuli is impaired in patients with functional tremor. The mechanisms underlying this impaired somatosensory processing and possible ways to apply these findings clinically merit further research.
authors: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Tinazzi
authors: Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Alfonso
authors: A
authors: Fasano
authors: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors: Alessia
authors: A
authors: Peretti
authors: Department of Neurology, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Bove
authors: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza, University of Rome and IRCCS INM Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Conte
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Dallocchio
authors: Division of Neurology, Ospedale di Voghera, Voghera, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Dall'Occhio
authors: Division of Neurology, Ospedale di Voghera, Voghera, Italy.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Arbasino
authors: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Defazio
authors: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors: Mirta
authors: M
authors: Fiorio
authors: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza, University of Rome and IRCCS INM Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Berardelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011434:Proprioception; D011930:Reaction Time; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D055698:Touch Perception; D055815:Young Adult