Association of progressive myoclonic epilepsy and spinal muscular atrophy

It is well known that certain hereditary diseases of the nervous system sometimes occur concurrently within particular families. This report presents a Yugoslav family of Hungarian origin in whom 2 brothers had progressive myoclonic epilepsy and proximal weakness and atrophy of muscles. Electromyography and muscle biopsy confirmed neurogenic atrophy. Electroencephalography disclosed paroxysmal spike-and-wave and polyspike-and-wave complexes with photic-induced myoclonic jerking. The combination of these clinical features is extremely rare and probably constitutes a clinical syndrome that has not been reported previously.