Identifying Markers of Disease Subtypes and Disease Progression in the Syndrome of Essential Tremor

Identifying Markers of Disease Subtypes and Disease Progression in the Syndrome of Essential Tremor - a Prospective Cohort Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn about epidemiology, biologic markers, disease subtypes and possible prognostic factors in essential tremor (ET) patients. The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

• The prevalence of ET-plus compared to ET in a prospectively collected ET population.
• To assess in detail the heterogenous group of ET patients using comprehensive clinical (motor and non-motor scales, questionnaires), imaging [magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sonography of substantia nigra and cerebral vessels], neurophysiological (tremor analysis, digital spiral drawing) and laboratory markers (sGFAP, sNfL, routine laboratory parameters).
• To assess possible non-invasive markers of neurodegeneration in ET patients (optic coherence tomography, alpha-synuclein in olfactory mucosa)

Participants will be asked to undergo the above mention evaluation at baseline and at follow-up approx. 5 years later.

Researchers will compare the findings within the ET group to independently existing cohorts of healthy controls and/or patients with other movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Presence of an essential tremor syndrome according to MDS consensus criteria or suspected incipient essential tremor (differential diagnosis vs. enhanced physiological tremor)
• Patient is able and willing to give informed consent.
• age above 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient is not able or not willing to give informed consent.
• Existence of a legal representative.
• age below 18 years