myoclonus
Pronunciation: my-OK-loh-nus
Brief, sudden, involuntary muscle jerks that can occur in various neurological conditions including epilepsy.
Full Definition
Myoclonus refers to brief, sudden, shock-like involuntary movements caused by muscular contractions (positive myoclonus) or sudden cessation of muscle activity (negative myoclonus or asterixis). In pediatric neurology, myoclonus can be epileptic or non-epileptic in origin. Epileptic myoclonus is associated with specific syndromes such as juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, while non-epileptic myoclonus may occur in metabolic disorders, infections, or as a side effect of medications. The movements can be focal, multifocal, or generalized, and may be stimulus-sensitive or occur spontaneously.
Usage
Usage note: Specify epileptic vs. non-epileptic when known; describe distribution and triggers.
In Context
- "The patient exhibited stimulus-sensitive myoclonus triggered by sudden sounds." — Neurological examination
- "EEG correlation confirmed that the myoclonus was epileptic in nature." — Epilepsy evaluation