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No 1131517
Multiple Sclerosis
It is important to remember that MS is only one part of a person and not the person.
MS does not represent them, it is not their identity, they are as normal as the next person.
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Myoclonus
From the Greek - "Myo" meaning "muscle" and "Clonus" meaning "tumult", describes
the sudden and uncontrollable shock-like movements or "jerks" of a muscle or a group
of muscles.
There are two separate movements in Myoclonus
- Positive -
resulting in contraction of a muscle, or muscles. - Negative -
where there is a brief loss of muscle tone and then the contraction of other muscles.
Myoclonus can occur infrequently or very often and may range from a minor inconvenience to major disabling symptoms making walking and other activities quite difficult. One of the more common myoclonal occurrences in MS is Nocturnal Myoclonus, more commonly known as "Restless Leg Syndrome".
Some types of Myoclonus
- Action myoclonus -
characterized by muscular jerking triggered or intensified by voluntary movement or even the intention to move. It may be made worse by attempts at precise, coordinated movements. Action myoclonus is the most disabling form of myoclonus and can affect the arms, legs, face, and even the voice. - Cortical reflex myoclonus -
jerks usually involve only a few muscles in one part of the body, but jerks involving many muscles also may occur. Cortical reflex myoclonus can be intensified when patients attempt to move in a certain way or perceive a particular sensation. - Palatal myoclonus -
a regular, rhythmic contraction of one or both sides of the rear of the roof of the mouth, called the soft palate. These contractions may be accompanied by myoclonus in other muscles, including those in the face, tongue, throat, and diaphragm. The contractions are very rapid, occurring as often as 150 times a minute, and may persist during sleep. - Progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) -
a group of diseases characterized by myoclonus, epileptic seizures, and other serious symptoms such as trouble walking or speaking. These rare disorders often get worse over time and sometimes are fatal. - Reticular reflex myoclonus -
thought to be a type of generalized epilepsy that originates in the brainstem, the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord and controls vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. Myoclonic jerks usually affect the whole body, with muscles on both sides of the body affected simultaneously. In some people, myoclonic jerks occur in only a part of the body, such as the legs, with all the muscles in that part being involved in each jerk. Reticular reflex myoclonus can be triggered by either a voluntary movement or an external stimulus. - Stimulus-
sensitive myoclonus -triggered by a variety of external events, including noise, movement, and light. Surprise may increase the sensitivity of the patient. - Sleep myoclonus -
occurs during the initial phases of sleep, especially at the moment of dropping off to sleep. Some forms appear to be stimulus- sensitive. Some persons with sleep myoclonus are rarely troubled by, or need treatment for, the condition. However, myoclonus may be a symptom in more complex and disturbing sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome.
Treatment
Treatment of Myoclonus is focused on helping to reduce the symptoms. Because of the complexities of Myoclonus it may prove necessary to use more than one drug to provide an effective treatment, and a neurologist may combine several drugs together to bring the Myoclonus under complete control.
Drugs used to treat myoclonus:
- Clonazepam
- Phenytoin
- Piracetam
- Sodium Valporate
- Anti-
epilepsy drugs
Other web sites
ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus