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Myoclonus.

Pinky Agarwal¹, Steven J Frucht

¹Department of Neurology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Current Opinion in Neurology

|July 19, 2003

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Myoclonus, a common movement disorder, requires careful evaluation using clinical history, examination, and tests. Treatment guidelines are evolving, with newer options like levetiracetam and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid showing promise for specific types of myoclonus.

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Movement Disorders

Background:

Myoclonus is a frequent involuntary movement disorder presenting diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Patient evaluation relies heavily on clinical history, examination, and supportive investigations like electrophysiology and neuroimaging.

Purpose of the Study:

To present an approach for evaluating patients with myoclonus.
To provide practical guidelines for treating myoclonus based on existing literature and recent studies.

Main Methods:

Review of pre-2000 literature and studies from the last two years on antimyoclonic agents.
Formulation of a treatment algorithm based on available evidence.

Main Results:

Levetiracetam is effective for posthypoxic myoclonus; gamma-hydroxybutyric acid is useful for alcohol-sensitive myoclonus.

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Combination therapy is often necessary for symptom control.

Botulinum toxin shows encouraging results for focal myoclonus.

Conclusions:

No medications are specifically approved for myoclonus; therapies are often adapted from antiepileptic and psychiatric treatments.
A systematic approach to drug selection and dosing can improve patient care.