Skip to main content
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1984 Sep;47(9):976–982. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.47.9.976

Beta-adrenoreceptor mechanisms in essential tremor: a comparative single dose study of the effect of a non-selective and a beta-2 selective adrenoreceptor antagonist.

L Cleeves, L J Findley
PMCID: PMC1028001  PMID: 6148382

Abstract

In order to study the mode of action of beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists in essential tremor the efficacy of single oral doses of 2, 4 and 10 mg LI 32-468, a peripherally acting, selective beta-2 adrenoreceptor antagonist, was compared with a single oral dose of 120 mg propranolol in a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Both the lowest dose of LI and propranolol were shown to be equally superior to placebo in attenuating tremor magnitude. This finding supports the contention that the beneficial effect of beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists in essential tremor is mediated via peripheral beta-2 receptor mechanisms.

Full text

PDF
976

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bowman W. C., Nott M. W. Actions of sympathomimetic amines and their antagonists on skeletal muscle. Pharmacol Rev. 1969 Mar;21(1):27–72. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Britt C. W., Jr, Peters B. H. Metoprolol for essential tremor. N Engl J Med. 1979 Aug 9;301(6):331–331. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197908093010617. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CALMA I., KIDD G. L. The effect of adrenaline on muscle spindles in cat. Arch Ital Biol. 1962;100:381–393. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Calzetti S., Findley L. J., Gresty M. A., Perucca E., Richens A. Effect of a single oral dose of propranolol on essential tremor: a double-blind controlled study. Ann Neurol. 1983 Feb;13(2):165–171. doi: 10.1002/ana.410130210. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Calzetti S., Findley L. J., Gresty M. A., Perucca E., Richens A. Metoprolol and propranolol in essential tremor: a double-blind, controlled study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Sep;44(9):814–819. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.9.814. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Calzetti S., Findley L. J., Perucca E., Richens A. Controlled study of metoprolol and propranolol during prolonged administration in patients with essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1982 Oct;45(10):893–897. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.10.893. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Coltart D. J., Meldrum S. J. The effect of racemic propranolol, dextro-propranolol and racemic practolol on the human and canine cardiac transmembrane action potential (beta blockade and the cardiac action potential). Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1971 Jul;192(1):188–197. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dietrichson P., Espen E. Effects of timolol and atenolol on benign essential tremor: placebo-controlled studies based on quantitative tremor recording. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Aug;44(8):677–683. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.8.677. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Evans G. H., Nies A. S., Shand D. G. The disposition of propranolol. 3. Decreased half-life and volume of distribution as a result of plasma binding in man, monkey, dog and rat. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1973 Jul;186(1):114–122. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jefferson D., Jenner P., Marsden C. D. Relationship between plasma propranolol concentration and relief of essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979 Sep;42(9):831–837. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.42.9.831. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jefferson D., Jenner P., Marsden C. D. beta-Adrenoreceptor antagonists in essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979 Oct;42(10):904–909. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.42.10.904. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Larsen A. Effects of pindolol, sotalol and the optical isomers of propranolol on muscle action potentials and depolarization-secretion coupling in the rat. Acta Physiol Scand. 1978 Mar;102(3):357–363. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1978.tb06082.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Leigh P. N., Jefferson D., Twomey A., Marsden C. D. Beta-adrenoreceptor mechanisms in essential tremor; a double-blind placebo controlled trial of metoprolol, sotalol and atenolol. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1983 Aug;46(8):710–715. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.46.8.710. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ljung O. Treatment of essential tremor with metoprolol. N Engl J Med. 1979 Nov 1;301(18):1005–1005. doi: 10.1056/nejm197911013011817. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Marsden C. D., Meadows J. C. The effect of adrenaline on the contraction of human muscle. J Physiol. 1970 Apr;207(2):429–448. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009071. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. McAllister R. G., Jr, Markesbery W. R., Ware R. W., Howell S. M. Suppression of essential tremor by propranolol: correlation of effect with drug plasma levels and intensity of beta-adrenergic blockade. Ann Neurol. 1977 Feb;1(2):160–166. doi: 10.1002/ana.410010210. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Morgan M. H., Hewer R. L., Cooper R. Effect of the beta adrenergic blocking agent propranolol on essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1973 Aug;36(4):618–624. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.36.4.618. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Newman R. P., Jacobs L. Metoprolol in essential tremor. Arch Neurol. 1980 Sep;37(9):596–597. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1980.00500580092022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PAINTAL A. S. EFFECTS OF DRUGS ON VERTEBRATE MECHANORECEPTORS. Pharmacol Rev. 1964 Dec;16:341–380. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Riley T., Pleet A. B. Metoprolol tartrate for essential tremor. N Engl J Med. 1979 Sep 20;301(12):663–663. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197909203011215. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tolosa E. S., Loewenson R. B. Essential tremor: treatment with propranolol. Neurology. 1975 Nov;25(11):1041–1044. doi: 10.1212/wnl.25.11.1041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Walle T. GLC determination of propranolol, other beta-blocking drugs, and metabolites in biological fluids and tissues. J Pharm Sci. 1974 Dec;63(12):1885–1891. doi: 10.1002/jps.2600631212. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Winkler G. F., Young R. R. Efficacy of chronic propranolol therapy in action tremors of the familial, senile or essential varieties. N Engl J Med. 1974 May 2;290(18):984–988. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197405022901802. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Young R. R., Growdon J. H., Shahani B. T. Beta-adrenergic mechanisms in action tremor. N Engl J Med. 1975 Nov 6;293(19):950–953. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197511062931902. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Young R. R., Hagbarth K. E. Physiological tremor enhanced by manoeuvres affecting the segmental stretch reflex. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1980 Mar;43(3):248–256. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.43.3.248. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES