Movement disorders in alcoholism: a review

A wide variety of movement disorders are associated with alcohol abuse. Some idiopathic movement disorders are markedly improved by small amounts of alcohol and this response occasionally may lead to alcoholism. Alcohol abuse alone or combined with hepatic encephalopathy can cause various types of tremor, asterixis, and cerebellar dysfunction. Alcohol withdrawal is occasionally complicated by transient basal ganglia dysfunction manifested by parkinsonism or chorea. These syndromes are distinct from the movement disorders complicating acquired hepatolenticular degeneration occurring in some chronic alcoholics. This review discusses the clinical and pathophysiologic aspects of the movement disorder syndromes that complicate alcohol abuse.