Tremoroton, a new free online platform for tremor analysis

Felipe Vial; Patrick McGurrin; Thomas Osterholt; Debra Ehrlich; Dietrich Haubenberger; Mark Hallett

Clinical Neurophysiology Practice (Jan 2020)

Tremoroton, a new free online platform for tremor analysis

Felipe Vial,
Patrick McGurrin,
Thomas Osterholt,
Debra Ehrlich,
Dietrich Haubenberger,
Mark Hallett

Affiliations

Felipe Vial: Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
Patrick McGurrin: Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Thomas Osterholt: Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Debra Ehrlich: Parkinson’s Disease Clinic, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Dietrich Haubenberger: Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Mark Hallett: Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Corresponding author at: Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 7D37, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-1428, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5
pp. 30 – 34

Abstract

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Objective: The electrophysiological classification of tremors can be a key element in the diagnosis and can facilitate treatment of a patient with tremor; however, the ability to conduct electrophysiological studies of tremor is not widely available. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a free online platform for tremor analysis. Methods: An online platform for tremor analysis was developed using “R” language; called “Tremoroton”. For validation, we compared the frequency estimation of the tremor obtained with Tremoroton compared with a commercially available software in a cohort of 20 patients (10 with essential tremor and 10 with Parkinson diagnosis), comparing the activity recorded on the accelerometer, extensor carpi radialis and flexor carpi radialis EMG. An intraclass correlation coefficient was used for the comparison. Results: The final version of tremoroton is now online. It allows reading up to 6 channels, and will do time, frequency, time-frequency analysis and calculate coherence. We demonstrated a high correlation in frequency measurements (0.97 (0.945–0.984, 95% IC) for the accelerometers, 0.98 (0.977–0.994, 95% IC) for the extensor carpi radialis EMG, and 0.99 (0.987–0.997, 95% IC) for the flexor carpi radialis EMG) when compared to a commercial software. Conclusion: We were able to develop and validate a free online platform for tremor analysis. Significance: Making this tool available should help expanding tremor analysis techniques from research to the clinical setting.

Published in Clinical Neurophysiology Practice

ISSN: 2467-981X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/clinical-neurophysiology-practice

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