Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: Challenges on its 60th anniversary

Since its initial 1957 description, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) has been recognized as a common epileptic syndrome worldwide.

We reviewed a series of articles on JME to clarify challenges in clinical and pathophysiological findings, treatment and outcome.

Typical JME characteristics include: 1) the age at seizure onset between 10 and 25 years; 2) the triad of myoclonia, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and absences, of which only myoclonia is a mandatory criterion; 3) cognitive dysfunction that may have impact on interpersonal relationships and social outcome; 4) possibility of seizure control in up to 80% of individuals, in particular with the use of sodium valproate; 5) a tendency for lifelong seizures with an early morning preponderance; 6) after decades from the clinical onset, a possibility to be off medications for a third of the patients, and 7) several prognostic factors.

After 60 years, several challenges remain in this complex epileptic syndrome.