The MDS consensus tremor classification: The best way to classify patients with tremor at present

In 2018, the new Consensus Statement on the Classification of Tremors, by the Task Force on Tremor of the International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society, was published. So far, the article has been cited more than 400 times in peer-reviewed international journals and commonly debated in conferences and meetings due to an enthusiastic welcome from the community.Compared to the previous Consensus Statement (1998), the main novelties are: 1) the classification of tremor according to clinical manifestation (Axis 1) and etiology (Axis 2), and therefore the use of a syndromic approach; 2) the definition of essential tremor as a syndrome; 3) the recognition of the new category essential tremor plus, that derives from the uncertain significance of the soft neurological signs often associated with essential tremor. In this paper, we summarise and explain the most important aspects of the new classification of tremors, highlighting the main novelties, their relevance, and application in clinical practice. Moreover, we discuss its possible weakness and reflect on the critical comments made so far.We believe that this new tremor classification is comprehensive, rigorous, and consistent and, considering our current knowledge of tremor syndromes, it is the best we can do at present.This article is part of the Special Issue Tremor edited by Daniel D. Truong, Mark Hallett, and Aasef Shaikh

Automated summary

In 2018, the new Consensus Statement on the Classification of Tremors was published by the Task Force on Tremor of the International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society. The article has gained significant attention, being cited over 400 times and sparking discussions in conferences and meetings. The main novelties of the classification include the syndromic approach, the definition of essential tremor as a syndrome, and the recognition of essential tremor plus. This comprehensive and rigorous classification is deemed the best current approach based on our current knowledge of tremor syndromes.