PURPOSE
The Tremor Research Group (TRG), founded in 2001, is an independent, nonprofit organization of clinical and basic research investigators representing major North American institutions devoted to the study of tremors. The TRG aims to advance knowledge about the causes, pathogenesis, and clinical impact of tremor disorders. In addition, a major theme has been to develop and implement scientifically guided strategies to investigate promising therapeutic interventions.
WHO ARE WE?
The TRG is a consortium of scientific investigators who are committed to cooperative planning, implementation, analysis, and reporting of controlled clinical trials and other research for tremor disorders. Its membership, which is by invitation only, includes researchers who have distinguished career interests regarding tremor and related disorders.
ORGANIZATION
A three-member Executive Committee consisting of a President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer who are elected by the organization’s voting members governs the TRG. The Executive Committee members hold terms of three years. They may be elected to succeed themselves for up to two consecutive terms. Current members nominate new members, and their approval requires an affirmative vote from two-thirds of the entire membership.
PROJECTS
The TRG has developed, validated, and published a comprehensive rating scale for essential tremor (TETRAS). Education and credentialing for the scale are available. Several recent projects include serving as the core rating site for the focused ultrasound for essential tremor study (ET002), sponsored by InSightec. The TRG and affiliated sites have worked with several pharmaceutical companies (including Sage, Biohaven, Praxis, Jazz, Cavion, and Cadent Therapeutics) to develop and implement their clinical trials for essential tremor.
PUBLICATIONS
- Lyons KE, Pahwa R, Comella CL, Eisa MS, Elble RJ, Fahn S, Jankovic J, Juncos JL, Koller WC, Ondo WG, Sethi KD, Stern MB, Tanner CM, Tintner R, Watts RL. Benefits and risks of pharmacological treatments for essential tremor. Drug Saf 2003;26:461-81.
- Elble RJ for the Tremor Research Group and Conference Attendees. Report from a U.S. conference on essential tremor. Mov Disord 2006;21:2052-2061.
- Elble RJ, Pullman SL, Matsumoto JY, Raethjen J, Deuschl G, Tintner R and the Tremor Research Group. Tremor amplitude is logarithmically related to 4- and 5-point tremor rating scales. Brain 2006; 129:2660-2666.
- Elble R, Comella C, Fahn S, Hallett M, Jankovic J, Juncos JL, LeWitt P, Lyons K, Ondo W, Pahwa R, Sethi K, Stover N, Tarsy D, Testa C, Tintner R, Watts R, Zesiewicz T. Reliability of a new scale for essential tremor. Mov Disord 2012;27:1567-1569.
- Elble RJ. The Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale. J Neurol Neuromed (2016) 1(4): 34-38
- Ondo W, Hashem V, LeWitt P, Pahwa R, Tarsy D, Shih L, Zesiewicz T, Elble R. Comparison of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Clinical Rating Scale and The Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale (TETRAS). Mov Disord Clin Practice. 2017 Nov 23;5(1):60-65. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.12560
- Ondo W, LeWitt P, Elias J. Incisionless Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor by MR-guided Focused Ultrasound – Randomized, Sham-controlled Trial (abstract) MDS 2014.
- Elble R, Bhargava P, Dhaka L, Jalan P, Kaul S, Pandav V, Lyons K, Ondo W, Pahwa R, Sethi K, Tarsy D, Tintner R. Reliability of the Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale in untrained neurology residents (abstract) AAN 2013
- Yeo C, Ondo W, Kuo S for the Tremor Research Group. Tremor Research Group Essential Tremor Rating Scale (TETRAS): Assessing Impact of Different Item Instructions. (abstract) AAN 2018
EXTERNAL LINKS PERTINENT TO ESSENTIAL TREMOR
The International Essential Tremor Foundation (www.essentialtremor.org)
The International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (www.movementdisorders.org)