Increased Climbing Fiber Lateral Crossings on Purkinje Cell Dendrites in the Cerebellar Hemisphere in Essential Tremor

Background: Climbing fibers (CFs) innervate Purkinje cells (PCs) with 1:1 relationship to ensure proper cerebellar function. Although CFs abnormally extend into the parallel fiber domain of PC dendrites in essential tremor (ET), the architecture of CFs in relation to PCs has yet to be investigated in detail. Objective: The aim of this work was to study the architecture of CFs in relation to PCs in ET. Methods: The number of PC somas and PC dendrites that a single CF crossed was quantified in the postmortem cerebellum of 15 ET cases and 15 control cases. Results: In ET, CFs crossed a greater number of PC somas and PC dendrites than in control cases, raising the possibility that there is abnormal CF wiring onto the PCs. Interestingly, the increase in CF–PC crossings positively correlated with tremor severity. Conclusions: Patients with ET have increased CF crossings on PC dendrites. This abnormal architectural arrangement may contribute to synchronous brain activity and tremor.