Early access
Sign in
Taking people in United StatesNo phase

Directional versus standard deep brain stimulation for essential tremor

Compares two kinds of brain stimulation for essential tremor, including effects on speech and walking.

Key facts

Who runs it
Oregon Health and Science University
Where
Portland, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Directional Versus Nondirectional DBS for ET
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
24 people, planned
Started
1 Apr 2021
Expected to end
1 Oct 2029
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Deep brain stimulation of the VIM Thalamic nuclei
Record updated
30 October 2025

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with essential tremor who plan to have deep brain stimulation (DBS). It compares two ways of giving DBS.

Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All sexes
Disease stage
Essential tremor with action tremor in both arms or hands for at least 3 years. The tremor does not respond well to medicines.
Earlier treatment
People who have had deep brain stimulation or thalamotomy (a brain surgery for tremor) before cannot join.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Tremor caused by medicines or another brain disease, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or dystonia
  • Signs of dystonia, ataxia or parkinsonism, task specific tremor or orthostatic tremor
  • Cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators or neurostimulators
  • Needing MRI, ECT, rTMS or diathermy
  • Having decided not to have DBS, or having another neurological disease or injury

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 11 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • A tremor syndrome of bilateral upper limb action tremor with at least 3 years' duration

Who cannot take part

  • Patients who have decided not to receive DBS for control of their medication-refractory essential tremor
  • Prior history of deep brain stimulation
  • Prior history of thalamotomy
  • Patients with secondary tremor (ie not Essential Tremor), such as side effects from medications, secondary to another identified neurologic disease (eg multiple sclerosis, -----Parkinson's disease, dystonia)
  • Patients with cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators, or neurostimulators
  • Subjects with other type of neurological disease or injury
  • A history or signs of dystonia, ataxia or parkinsonism
  • Task specific tremor
  • Orthostatic tremor
  • Patients who require MRI, ECT, rTMS, or diathermy

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 18 and 80 years old?

Where in United States

  • Oregon Health Science UniversityPortland, United StatesContact: Zoe FanningTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

This will be a single center (OHSU) proof of concept trial to demonstrate that directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) creates a larger therapeutic window for the treatment of essential tremor (ET), effectively treats ET, and minimizes effects on speech, gait and balance compared to nondirectional DBS.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Directional deep brain stimulationExisting treatment, for comparison

    Deep brain stimulation delivered in a directional manner within an axial plane

    Treatment: Deep brain stimulation of the VIM Thalamic nuclei

  • Nondirectional deep brain stimulationExisting treatment, for comparison

    Deep brain stimulation delivered in a nondirectional manner within an axial plane

    Treatment: Deep brain stimulation of the VIM Thalamic nuclei

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Directional Versus Nondirectional Deep Brain Stimulation of the VIM Thalamic Nucleus for Essential Tremor: Assessment of Therapeutic Window, Speech, Gait and Balance
Plain-language title
Directional versus standard deep brain stimulation for essential tremorGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Fit questions
Built from NCT04828798, who can take part
Record updated
30 October 2025