Susan Collins’s Essential Tremor

Senator Susan Collins has said her essential tremor is longstanding, treated with medication, and does not interfere with her Senate duties.

Visible shaking in her head, hands, and voice has prompted public scrutiny of her health and age, particularly in the context of her reelection bid. Neurosurgeon Rees Cosgrove of Mass General Brigham has explained that essential tremor does not itself indicate cognitive decline or Parkinson’s disease. The subject brings together Collins’s account of her condition, medical explanation, and public questions about its implications for serving in office.