Psychogenic palatal tremor

Abstract

We describe a case of psychogenic palatal tremor. The diagnosis was supported by clinical criteria and neurophysiological testing, including frequency analysis and jerk-locked back-averaging. We discuss the differential diagnosis of palatal tremor as well as the role of neurophysiological testing in the diagnosis of psychogenic movement disorders.

Electrophysiological evaluation of psychogenic movement disorders

“…In addition most patients had ear clicking, multiple somatizations and underlying psychiatric condition. In one case report it was shown that MRCP preceded about 500 msec before EMG activity and also there was accelerometereEMG coherence at various frequencies [30].…”

Distinguishing psychogenic and essential tremor

“…Psychogenic movement disorders (PMD) comprise 4.1% of all patients seen in our movement disorders clinic [4,5]. PMD can be challenging to properly diagnose [6,7] given the potential for complex phenomenology including dystonia, [8,9] myoclonus, [10] tics, [11] hemifacial spasm, [12] parkinsonism, [13,14] paroxysmal dyskinesia, [15] palatal tremor, [16,17] and gait dysfunction [18]. Psychogenic tremor (PT) is the most common PMD, accounting for about 25% of all cases [4].…”

Middle Ear Myoclonus: Two Informative Cases and a Systematic Discussion of Myogenic Tinnitus

“…This objective audiometric sign of functional myogenic tinnitus was previously described by Klochoff12 in the disorder he called “tensor tympani syndrome,” which he attributed to emotional distress and anxiety. Pirio Richardson et al76 also described the diagnostic role of clinical neurophysiologic testing in psychogenic palatal tremor.…”