Adrenergic beta-receptor sensitivity in essential tremor.

Abstract
Adrenergic .beta.-receptor sensitivity of 6 male patients with essential tremor and 6 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. No major abnormality is likely to exist in the peripheral adrenergic .beta.-receptor sensitivity in essential tremor.