Electrographic study of brainstem reflex myoclonus.
A patient with post-hypoxic brainstem reflex myoclonus was examined. In spontaneous jerks electromyographic activity started in the sternocleidomastoid and spread down the spinal cord bilaterally. A similar jerk was elicited by somaesthetic or acoustic stimulation. The patient's blink reflex suggested bilateral pontine lesions at least. Thus, the pattern of muscle activation pointed to a brainstem origin of the myoclonus. Spinal conduction studies conducted during the jerks suggested that the myoclonus signal facilitated a path identical to the spinobulbospinal reflex demonstrated in animals.
Oguro
K
K
Division of Child Neurology, Shizuoka Children's Hospital, Japan.
Kobayashi
J
J
Aiba
H
H
Kobayashi
S
S
Hojo
H
H
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*