This Months Tremor Gram

May 2011

Tulips for Tremor 2011

The tulip was originally a wild flower, grown in Central Asia. It was first cultivated by the Turks as early as 1000 B.C.E. The flower was introduced in Western Europe and the Netherlands in the 17th century by Carolus Clusius, a famous biologist from Vienna. For thousands of years tulips have been the heralds of spring. They celebrate the cycle of growth and the return of warmth and abundance after the long winter.

For the IETF, tulips represent hope for the future and new beginnings. The goal of Tulips for Tremor is to raise funds for much needed research and awareness initiatives. Although we won�t be offering actual bulbs for sale this year (due to substantial increases in the cost of bulbs and postage), you can still get involved by donating to this worthy campaign.

Tulips for Tremor Across the U.S.A.
For each donation received, a virtual tulip will be �planted� in your city. You can watch our Tulip Map to see if your city and state are covered with the blooms of hope. Each flower represents your dedication to finding better treatment options, raising more awareness at every level and to someday find a cure for this life-altering condition.

Donate online or call the IETF toll free at 888.387.3667.

Essential Tremor and the Brain Brain Cells

Research Findings of the Essential Tremor Centralized Brain Repository

Previously it had been suggested that there were no changes in the brain of individuals with ET. With data available for more than 75 Essential Tremor Centralized Brain Repository (ETCBR) ET brains, researchers have already demonstrated that this is not the case. In fact, there seems to be at least two distinct types of changes in ET brains which indicate that there may be at least two distinct types of ET.

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Did General Douglas MacArthur have Parkinson's Disease? General MacArthur

Winner of the American Academy of Neurology 2011 Lawrence C. McHenry Award (an Award for the History of Neurology), this article tackles the belief that MacArthur had Parkinson�s disease. Researches look at video and archival evidence to reveal the truth.

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Leg Tremor vs. Restless Leg Syndrome

By Joseph Jankovic, M.D.

There are many conditions that can cause tremor in the legs, including Parkinson�s disease (PD), ET, and orthostatic tremor. At least half of all patients with PD have tremor involving their feet or legs, usually present when they are sitting or lying. Leg tremor is especially prominent in patients with young-onset PD who have a mutation in the parkin gene. Typically the �rest� tremor associated with PD is usually accompanied by other PD symptoms such as slowness of movement (bradykinesia), stiffness of muscles (rigidity) and gait and postural difficulties.

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Latest Announcements

Winner of the American Academy of Neurology 2011 Lawrence C. McHenry Award (an Award for the History of Neurology), this article tackles the belief that MacArthur had Parkinson�s disease. Researches look at video and archival evidence to reveal the truth.

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Leg Tremor vs. Restless Leg Syndrome