Familial hemifacial spasm.
Two brothers developed hemifacial spasm at 63 and 70 years of age. Spasms occurred on the left and right sides of the face, respectively. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging failed to show any abnormality. In addition, a third sibling reported a history of a peripheral facial palsy, which remitted spontaneously without sequelae. This is the fourth description of familial hemifacial spasms. This family is unique in that hemifacial spasm presented on different sides in the two brothers, and involvement was limited to one generation. Age at onset was later than for other familial cases and similar to sporadic cases.
Micheli
F
F
Neurology Department, Hospital de Clinicas Jose de San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Scorticati
M C
MC
Gatto
E
E
Cersosimo
G
G
Adi
J
J
D000368:Aged; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010375:Pedigree; D013035:Spasm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology