Supplementary Material for: Effects of Cerebellothalamic Tractotomy on Cognitive and Emotional Functioning in Essential Tremor: A Preliminary Study in 5 Essential Tremor Patients

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Subthalamic stereotactic interventions have recently caught renewed interest as a treatment for essential tremor (ET). However, it is not clear whether these interventions are associated with neurocognitive, mood or personality changes. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To investigate neurocognition, neuropsychiatric functions and personality variables in patients with ET and to explore the neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric effects of cerebellothalamic tractotomy (CTT), a form of subthalamotomy. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In our study, we investigated cognitive functions, frontal functions, mood and personality variables in 5 patients with intractable ET. Patients were tested before and 3 months after surgery using neuropsychological tests, clinical scales for depression, anxiety, anger regulation and a personality test. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Before surgery, ET patients showed normal neurocognitive function, a slightly elevated frontal lobe score in the dimensions mental control and memory, without being indicative of a frontal lesion, and no elevated depression or anxiety scores compared to norm values. After surgery, there was no change in neurocognitive function and no increase in depression or anxiety scores. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In this exploratory study on 5 ET patients, CTT was not associated with alterations of mood or neurocognitive functions.

<b><i>背景：</i></b> 丘脑底核立体定向手术作为原发性震颤（essential tremor, ET）的治疗手段，近期重新受到学界关注。但目前尚不清楚此类手术是否会引发神经认知、情绪或人格方面的改变。<b><i>目的：</i></b> 本研究旨在探讨原发性震颤患者的神经认知、神经精神功能及人格特征，并探索作为丘脑底核手术术式之一的小脑丘脑束切开术（cerebellothalamic tractotomy, CTT）对患者神经认知与神经精神功能的影响。<b><i>方法：</i></b> 本研究纳入5例难治性原发性震颤患者，对其认知功能、额叶功能、情绪状态及人格特征进行评估。所有患者分别于术前及术后3个月接受神经心理学测试、抑郁、焦虑与愤怒调节临床量表评估以及人格测验。<b><i>结果：</i></b> 术前，ET患者的神经认知功能处于正常水平，其心理控制与记忆维度的额叶评分略高，但无额叶病变的相关征象；与常模值相比，患者的抑郁、焦虑评分并未升高。术后，患者的神经认知功能无明显变化，抑郁与焦虑评分亦未出现升高。<b><i>结论：</i></b> 针对5例ET患者的此项探索性研究结果显示，小脑丘脑束切开术（CTT）并未引发患者情绪或神经认知功能的改变。