Reversible Holmes' tremor due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension

BMJ Case Rep. 2017 Jul 27:2017:bcr2017220348. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-220348.

Abstract

Holmes' tremor is a low-frequency hand tremor and has varying amplitude at different phases of motion. It is usually unilateral and does not respond satisfactorily to drugs and thus considered irreversible. Structural lesions in the thalamus and brainstem or cerebellum are usually responsible for Holmes' tremor. We present a 23-year-old woman who presented with unilateral Holmes' tremor. She also had hypersomnolence and headache in the sitting posture. Her brain imaging showed brain sagging and deep brain swelling due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). She was managed conservatively and had a total clinical and radiological recovery. The brain sagging with the consequent distortion of the midbrain and diencephalon was responsible for this clinical presentation. SIH may be considered as one of the reversible causes of Holmes' tremor.

Keywords: brain stem / cerebellum; movement disorders (other than parkinsons); neuroimaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diencephalon / abnormalities
  • Diencephalon / diagnostic imaging
  • Diencephalon / physiopathology*
  • Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / diagnostic imaging
  • Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / etiology
  • Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Fluid Therapy
  • Head-Down Tilt / physiology
  • Headache / diagnostic imaging
  • Headache / etiology
  • Headache / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hypotension / complications
  • Intracranial Hypotension / physiopathology*
  • Intracranial Hypotension / therapy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Mesencephalon / abnormalities
  • Mesencephalon / diagnostic imaging
  • Mesencephalon / physiopathology*
  • Posture
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tremor / diagnostic imaging
  • Tremor / etiology
  • Tremor / physiopathology*
  • Young Adult