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Primidone and essential tremor

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Summary

To clarify whether primidone itself, and not only its metabolite phenobarbitone, suppresses essential tremor, the effect of a high single dose of primidone was tested. Of 11 patients, 8 showed a reduction of their tremor by 54%–69% for up to 28h. The serum concentration of primidone was as expected, whereas those of the metabolites phenyl-ethylmalonamide and phenobarbitone were very low. The tremor suppression can thus be considered to be an effect of primidone. Three of the 11 patients did not show a reduction of tremor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurologische Klinik, Freie Universität Berlin, D-100, Berlin 45

    S. Seyfert & A. Honé

  2. Abteilung für Klinische Neurophysiologie, Klinikum Steglitz, Freie Universität Berlin, D-1000, Berlin 45

    G. Holl

Authors
  1. S. Seyfert
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  2. A. Honé
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  3. G. Holl
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Seyfert, S., Honé, A. & Holl, G. Primidone and essential tremor. J Neurol 235, 168–170 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314310

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314310

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