Adrenergic beta-receptor sensitivity in essential tremor.

Adrenergic beta-receptor sensitivity of six male patients with essential tremor and six age-matched normal controls was assessed by measuring the response in the heart rate and postural tremor to incremental injections of the adrenergic beta-agonist isoprenaline. The relative increase in heart rate and tremor in essential tremor patients did not differ from that in normal controls. It is concluded that no major abnormality is likely to exist in the peripheral adrenergic beta-receptor sensitivity in essential tremor.