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Myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders : The importance of early identification and treatment

Van Egmond, Martje E. ; Elting, Jan Willem J. ; Kuiper, Anouk ; Zutt, Rodi ; Heineman, Kirsten R. ; Brouwer, Oebele F. ; Sival, Deborah A. ; Willemsen, Michel A. ; Tijssen, Marina A.J. and De Koning, Tom J. LU (2015) In European Journal of Paediatric Neurology 19(6). p.726-729
Abstract

Background In clinical practice, myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders frequently remains unrecognized, because it is often overshadowed by other neurological features. Since treatment can lead to significant functional improvement, accurate phenotyping is essential. To demonstrate the importance of early identification and treatment, we report on four patients with various childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders suffering from myoclonus. Methods We evaluated four patients with established childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders and involuntary jerky movements, who visited our young-onset movement disorder outpatient clinic. Results We present the clinical data of four patients (aged 8-21 years) with childhood-onset... (More)

Background In clinical practice, myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders frequently remains unrecognized, because it is often overshadowed by other neurological features. Since treatment can lead to significant functional improvement, accurate phenotyping is essential. To demonstrate the importance of early identification and treatment, we report on four patients with various childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders suffering from myoclonus. Methods We evaluated four patients with established childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders and involuntary jerky movements, who visited our young-onset movement disorder outpatient clinic. Results We present the clinical data of four patients (aged 8-21 years) with childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders, including ataxia-telangiectasia, Coffin-Lowry syndrome and epileptic encephalopathy due to SCN1A mutations. All four suffered from jerky movements that hampered normal daily activities and that had gone unrecognized for several years. The presence of multifocal myoclonus was confirmed by polymyography. In all patients, treatment resulted in marked improvement of both myoclonus and overall functioning. Conclusion These cases highlight the relevance of actively searching for myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders, even when a molecular diagnosis has already been established. To further improve the awareness and recognition of myoclonus in children, we provide a list of childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders with myoclonus as important associated feature.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Movement disorders, Myoclonus, Neurogenetic disorders
in
European Journal of Paediatric Neurology
volume
19
issue
6
pages
4 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84952862090
  • pmid:26232052
ISSN
1090-3798
DOI
10.1016/j.ejpn.2015.07.003
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
0ad1dfae-d9ad-4965-9b7d-68f6fad7fba5
date added to LUP
2020-02-26 10:01:02
date last changed
2024-04-17 05:35:00
@article{0ad1dfae-d9ad-4965-9b7d-68f6fad7fba5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background In clinical practice, myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders frequently remains unrecognized, because it is often overshadowed by other neurological features. Since treatment can lead to significant functional improvement, accurate phenotyping is essential. To demonstrate the importance of early identification and treatment, we report on four patients with various childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders suffering from myoclonus. Methods We evaluated four patients with established childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders and involuntary jerky movements, who visited our young-onset movement disorder outpatient clinic. Results We present the clinical data of four patients (aged 8-21 years) with childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders, including ataxia-telangiectasia, Coffin-Lowry syndrome and epileptic encephalopathy due to SCN1A mutations. All four suffered from jerky movements that hampered normal daily activities and that had gone unrecognized for several years. The presence of multifocal myoclonus was confirmed by polymyography. In all patients, treatment resulted in marked improvement of both myoclonus and overall functioning. Conclusion These cases highlight the relevance of actively searching for myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders, even when a molecular diagnosis has already been established. To further improve the awareness and recognition of myoclonus in children, we provide a list of childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders with myoclonus as important associated feature.</p>}},
  author       = {{Van Egmond, Martje E. and Elting, Jan Willem J. and Kuiper, Anouk and Zutt, Rodi and Heineman, Kirsten R. and Brouwer, Oebele F. and Sival, Deborah A. and Willemsen, Michel A. and Tijssen, Marina A.J. and De Koning, Tom J.}},
  issn         = {{1090-3798}},
  keywords     = {{Movement disorders; Myoclonus; Neurogenetic disorders}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{726--729}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Paediatric Neurology}},
  title        = {{Myoclonus in childhood-onset neurogenetic disorders : The importance of early identification and treatment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpn.2015.07.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ejpn.2015.07.003}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}