Dentate Nucleus Neuronal Density: A Postmortem Study of Essential Tremor Versus Control Brains. Issue 4 (1st December 2020) - Hartstone, Whitney G.
ABSTRACT: Background: Essential tremor involves the cerebellum, yet quantitative analysis of dentate nucleus neurons has not been conducted. Objectives: To quantitatively compare neuronal density or neuronal number in the dentate nucleus of essential tremor versus age‐matched controls. Methods: Using a 7‐μm thick Luxol fast blue hematoxylin and eosin‐stained paraffin section, dentate nucleus neuronal density (neurons/mm 2 ) was determined in 25 essential tremor cases and 25 controls. We also applied a stereological approach in a subset of four essential tremor cases and four controls to estimate total dentate nucleus neuronal number. Results: Dentate nucleus neuronal density did not differ between essential tremor cases and controls ( P = 0.44). Total dentate nucleus neuronal number correlated with neuronal density ( P = 0.007) and did not differ between essential tremor cases and controls ( P = 0.95). Conclusions: Neuronal loss, observed in the Purkinje cell population in essential tremor, did not seem to similarly involve the dentate nucleus in essential tremor. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society