Myoclonus
Myoclonus is a brief, involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles. It is a "sign doctor" (and not a symptom ) and, generally, is not the manifestation of a disease. The myoclonic jerks are usually caused by a sudden muscular contraction, which may also appear as a short absence of contraction.
Contractions are called positive myoclonus, negative myoclonus of the relaxations. The most common where a person can go there to meet you at the beginning of sleep, the stage of "numbness," Where the brain believes the body is dying and sends these spasms to awaken the "subject."
The myoclonic jerks are, however, symptoms of neurological disorders. Even the hiccup is a form of myoclonic spasm, which covers the diaphragm. The myoclonic jerks may be used singly or in sequence, with a "scheme" or not, rarely or several times a minute.
Very often the myoclonus is one of many symptoms of various disorders of the nervous system, including multiple sclerosis, the Parkinson's disease, the Alzheimer's disease, the subacute sclerosis panencefalitica, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and some forms of epilepsy, as well as a neuromuscular symptom of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Anatomically, myoclonus can originate from the cerebral cortex, the sub-cortex or the spinal cord. The presence of myoclonus above the foramen magnum excludes the spinal myoclonus, but for a more accurate positioning is required a ' electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG).
Alerts: If you want to know more fresh update helpful articles enter your email address below and be notified by mail.
