How is deep brain stimulation used to treat essential tremor?
Deep-brain stimulation surgery is probably the treatment of choice as a surgical treatment for essential tremor these days, and it does work very well. This is very similar to thalamotomy, except there is no permanent injury applied to the brain. A hole is drilled into the skull. An electrode is advanced to the thalamus, and the electrode is permanently implanted there and connected by a wire underneath the skin to a battery source which is permanently placed underneath the skin in the area of the collar bone. The battery sends weak electrical currents to the electrode, which is again permanently implanted, causing the thalamus activity to be reduced. This works very effectively in reducing tremor and may be done on both sides.
