Breakthrough in 'shakes' treatment could counteract disabling tremors

Patients whose lives are made a misery by constant shakes and tremors, could soon be relieved of their symptoms.
A team of scientists from Newcastle University have discovered a mechanism in the spine which  works to counteract the trembling effect of nervous diseases such as  Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis.
As a result they are closer to treating the shakes and transforming the lives  of up to one million sufferers in the UK alone.

Tremors can stop sufferers from doing simple every day tasks like making a cup of tea

Instead of looking at why people suffer from tremors, scientists have taken a  different approach in looking at why most don't have them.
Their aim has been to uncover something in the body which counters the tremor,  cancelling it out.
Research leader Prof Stuart Baker, professor of movement neuroscience at  Newcastle University said: 'We don't fully understand the brain systems causing  these tremors but they can have a massive impact on someone's quality of life.
'They lose the independence and the ability to do something simple like make a  cup of tea.
'Our approach was that instead of looking at why people suffer tremors, we  started to look at why most people don't suffer from them.
'The brain waves from the part of the brain controlling movement work at 10 cycles per second, so really, everyone should have a tremor at that frequency. In fact we do, but for most of us the tremor is so small as to be hardly  noticeable.
'We reasoned that there is something in the body which counters the tremor,  cancelling it out, and we wanted to find out what it was.
'Our research is a breakthrough in the respect we have taken a completely  different approach in looking at tremors.'
Mild tremor is a feature of daily life in healthy individuals, especially when  someone is nervous, tired or hungry.
But more severe tremors are a symptom of serious diseases, such as Essential  Tremor.
Essential Tremor is common in old age, but younger people can also be affected,  and in severe cases it can leave patients unable to walk unaided.
Newcastle University's research, which is published in the American Journal  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and is funded by the Wellcome Trust, involved teaching macaque monkeys to move their index finger slowly  backwards and forwards.
This exacerbated the natural minor tremors that both primates and humans  experience.
Sensors were used to record the activity of nerve cells from the brain and the  spinal cord as the animals moved.
The brain and spinal cord both showed rhythmic activity at the same frequency  of the tremor.
But crucially the spinal cord was active alternately with the brain,  counteracting the oscillations and reducing the size of the tremor.
Prof Baker said: 'Therearer many different sorts of disease which produce  tremor.
In some, maybe the controller in the spine malfunctions, and that is what  actually causes the tremor.
'Understanding more about how the spinal controller works could open the way to  adjusting it to work better, reducing the levels of tremors patients suffer and  improving their lives.'
It is hoped the research - which has cost more than £1m - will help patients  within the next five to 10 years.
It will be used to understand medications and operations that can be used to  stop tremors.
'Our research is a very exciting developments,' said Prof Baker.
'It is humbling to think we are able to help change and improve the lives of  people with tremors.'
Norma Riley, 71, from Lanchester, Co. Durham, has suffered from tremors for the  last three years.
She has recently been diagnosed with orthostatic tremor - a neurological  movement disorder, characterised by high frequency tremors of the legs when in  a standing position, and an immediate sense of stability.
The grandmother said: 'I wobble a bit and I find it hard to walk. I need to use a wheelchair all the time to get to the shops and every time I  go out of the house.
'When I try to walk my legs give way. It is also hard for me to make something as simple as a hot drink as my arms  are always shaking.
'I used to like going out for long walks in the countryside but I can't do that  any more.
'The most important thing is to give those with tremors their quality of life back. Since mine started three years ago it has totally changed my life.'