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The organization of upper limb physiological tremor

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Abstract

The objectives of this study are (1) to assess the relationship between tremor displacement of different segments of the upper limb, (2) to assess whether an attempt to voluntarily reduce tremor amplitude affects this relationship. Twenty-five young healthy participants were tested. Tremor of the finger, hand, arm and shoulder was assessed using laser displacement sensors while the upper limb was in a postural position. Results show strong correlations (r > 0.90), high coherence (>0.9) and in-phase movement between tremor displacement oscillations of different segments. The majority of finger tremor amplitude can be predicted by angular movement generated at the shoulder joint (r 2 > 0.86). Participants were able to voluntarily reduce tremor amplitude, but no change in the relationship between segments was observed. Tremor of all segments of the upper limb was mechanically driven by the angular movement generated at the shoulder joint. This study provides evidence that there is no compensatory organization of physiological tremor. This lays the groundwork to evaluate whether pathological tremors also lack this organization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors of the present study wish to thank the participants who volunteered their time for this study. This research was funded by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada through a Master’s scholarship (Benoit Carignan) and operating grant (Christian Duval). Jean-François Daneault is supported by a Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec doctoral scholarship. Dr Duval is also supported by a Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec salary grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Kinanthropologie, Pavillon des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Room: SB4290, Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada

    Benoit Carignan & Christian Duval

  2. Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Jean-François Daneault

Authors
  1. Benoit Carignan
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  2. Jean-François Daneault
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  3. Christian Duval
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Correspondence to Christian Duval.

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Communicated by Fausto Baldissera.

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Carignan, B., Daneault, JF. & Duval, C. The organization of upper limb physiological tremor. Eur J Appl Physiol 112, 1269–1284 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2080-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2080-3

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