title: Epileptic negative myoclonus and brief asymmetric tonic seizures. A supplementary sensorimotor area involvement for both negative and positive motor phenomena.
abstract: Epileptic negative myoclonus (ENM) is an epileptic motor dysfunction characterised by brief lapses of postural tone provoked by paroxysmal cortical discharges. We report the electrophysiological and video-polygraphic findings in a patient presenting with the unusual association of ENM and brief asymmetric tonic-postural seizures of cryptogenetic origin. Focal EMG silent periods in the left deltoid muscle (mean duration 81.2 +/- 16.4 ms), time-locked with vertex spikes were present. The time lag between spikes and ENM was 33.1 +/- 4.6 ms. We suggest the involvement of mesial frontal areas in the genesis of both negative and positive motor phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meletti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tinuper
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisulli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014741:Video Recording