Research Grant Offers Hope for Improved Quality of Life for Those with Vocal Tremor

Diana Lopez (‘23) and her mentor Paul Bryson, MD, MBA, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, have been selected to receive a Cleveland Clinic Caregiver Catalyst Grant for their research study entitled “The Effects of Magnetic Resonance-Guided Ultrasound Thalamotomy on Voice in Medically Refractory Essential Tremor.”

Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder, affecting more than 10 million people in the US alone. A progressive disease, ET causes patients significant physical and psychosocial disability. What’s more, effective treatments are lacking for 30% of these patients.

Dr. Bryson and Diana, along with team members Sean Nagel, MD; Stephen Jones, MD, PhD; Claudio Milstein, PhD; and Clinical Speech Pathologist Michelle Adessa, are studying the role of Magnetic Resonance Guided Ultrasound Thalamotomy (MRgFUS), an incisionless surgery that has been used successfully to treat limb tremor, as a less invasive and effective solution for voice tremor.

The grant funds will allow the team to purchase the technology – specifically an accelerometry system — needed to carry out the project as well as cover other costs of the research such as stipends for patient participation, statistical analysis and research coordinator costs. Not only will the study results provide preliminary information about the therapeutic value of MRgFUS surgery for voice tremor, but the results will also contribute to future clinical trial design.

Diana is eager to carry out the research, noting that the opportunity to design the study, guided by surgeons and other members of the team, and independently compile the grant application marks a significant accomplishment.

“I am hopeful that this accomplishment will represent to students in years one through three that they, too, may pursue this opportunity for fourth-year research funding,” says Diana.

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Diana Lopez

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Paul Bryson, MD, MBA