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.