title: Clinical picture of EPM1-Unverricht-Lundborg disease.
abstract: Unverricht-Lundborg disease (ULD), progressive myoclonic epilepsy type 1 (EPM1, OMIM254800), is an autosomal recessively inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by age of onset from 6 to 16 years, stimulus-sensitive myoclonus, and tonic-clonic epileptic seizures. Some years after the onset ataxia, incoordination, intentional tremor, and dysarthria develop. Individuals with EPM1 are mentally alert but show emotional lability, depression, and mild decline in intellectual performance over time. The diagnosis of EPM1 can be confirmed by identifying disease-causing mutations in a cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin B (CSTB) gene. Symptomatic pharmacologic and rehabilitative management, including psychosocial support, are the mainstay of EPM1 patients' care. Valproic acid, the first drug of choice, diminishes myoclonus and the frequency of generalized seizures. Clonazepam and high-dose piracetam are used to treat myoclonus, whereas levetiracetam seems to be effective for both myoclonus and generalized seizures. There are a number of agents that aggravate clinical course of EPM1 such as phenytoin aggravating the associated neurologic symptoms or even accelerating cerebellar degeneration. Sodium channel blockers (carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine) and GABAergic drugs (tiagabine, vigabatrin) as well as gabapentin and pregabalin may aggravate myoclonus and myoclonic seizures. EPM1 patients need lifelong clinical follow-up, including evaluation of the drug-treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Kuopio Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. Reetta.Kalviainen@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Reetta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kälviäinen
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khyuppenen
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koskenkorva
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mervaala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055313:Cystatin B; D015891:Cystatins / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020194:Unverricht-Lundborg Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; C524994:CSTB protein, human; C524992:Cstb protein, mouse; D015891:Cystatins; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D002998:Clonazepam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D055313:Cystatin B; D010889:Piracetam