Clinical and electrophysiological features of epilepsy combined with neck myoclonus / 中风与神经疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

@#To describe the electroclinical features of epilepsy and neck myoclonus.Methods We searched the EEG database using the terms “epilepsy” and “neck myoclonus” over a 2-year period from January 2018 to January 2020 in the Xijing Hospital，Xi’an，China. The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics were studied. Results Four patients with epilepsy and neck myoclonus were male.They were diagnosed with genetic generalized epilepsy，of which 3 patients were epilepsy of generalized tonic-clonic seizures alone，1 patient was epilepsy of eyelid myoclonia with absences.The mean age at epilepsy onset was 9～27 years. Epilepsy and valproate treatment preceded neck myoclonus in two patients，and the neck myoclonus disappeared after discontinuation of valproate in one of them. A total of 254 neck myoclonus were recorded，92.5% of the events occurred during Rapid eye movement sleep，and then non-rapid eye movement 1 sleep. Conclusion Neck myoclonus may be more common in genetic generalized epilepsy. Video electroencephalography monitoring may be helpful to confirm the type of the myoclonus. The electroclinical features and mechanisms of the coexistence of epilepsy and neck myoclonus need further study.