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In my family, My dad, Grandfather and sister have tremors. It is not constant shaking all the time for my Dad and sister, its more difficulty holding steady when performing small motor tasks. For my Pap, his tremors are somewhat more severe. I decided to do some research on this condition that runs in our family. This condition is called Essential Tremors and is classified as a nervous system disease. It’s one of the most common movement disorders.  Although the cause is currently unknown, it is thought to be caused by a combination of several genes and environmental factors. More than half of the cases of Essential Tremors are due to a genetic mutation, most commonly found in gene ETM3. It appears to be an autosomal, dominant genetic condition; so my Grandfather passed his dominant allele for this condition to my Dad, and he passed it on to my sister! An autosomal dominant condition means the mutation is found in the genetic material contained in the body cells and that someone only needs one dominant allele to have the condition (genotype of AA or Aa). Since not all of my Dad’s children have Essential Tremors it means he is heterozygous for the condition (Aa). He had to have one recessive allele to pass onto his other children without the condition, like me! 🙂 The other recessive allele I inherited was from my Mom who doesn’t have Essential Tremors, meaning she is homozygous for this condition (aa).

Additionally, genes DRD3, ETM1, and FET1 have been found to make a person more susceptible to this condition.  In combination with certain environmental factors, Essential Tremors can be exacerbated in a person with these “susceptibility” genes. Environmental factors can include a diet high in caffeine, stress, low blood sugar, factors causing heightened emotion and/or physical exhaustion. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. However, there are medications that can help to control the tremors so they do not interfere with daily living tasks and activities. Propranolol is a drug that blocks neurotransmitters related to adrenaline. Primidone is an anti-seizure drug that also controls the function of some neurotransmitters. Both of these drugs are common in treating tremors, but they also have significant side effects. Before using medication as a treatment, people with this condtion should first try eliminating caffeine and any other stimulants from their diet that could trigger tremors and shaking. Physical therapy may also prove beneficial in improving coordination and muscle control.

 

References:

“Essential Tremor | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center(GARD) – an NCATS Program.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Sept. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.