The authors reviewed the charts of 36 patients discharged from a VA
medical center with a diagnosis of essential tremor over a 10-year period
for evidence of alcohol dependency or abuse and for family history of
alcoholism and other psychiatric disorders. A sex- and age- matched sample
of patients admitted during the same period for herniorrhaphy was used as a
control group. Patients with essential tremor had a significantly higher
frequency of alcohol dependence and abuse than control subjects and also
had a much higher rate of positive first-degree family history of
alcoholism. The authors suggest that essential tremor is an important cause
of secondary alcoholism.Abstract Teaser