title: Nocturnal variant of benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy: a case series.
abstract: Myoclonus is a brief, rapid, involuntary muscle jerk originating in the central nervous system that can be physiological or a symptom of disease. We report a group of five children with excessive myoclonic jerks, only during sleep, and abnormal EEG during the events. Although only one third of the events had EEG epileptiform correlate, the presence of myoclonus without epileptiform EEG correlate has been described in patients with benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. We hypothesize that these findings may represent a variant of benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Einstein Medical Center.
authors.forename: Aparna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Sheel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Legido
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valencia
mesh_terms: D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D047928:Premature Birth; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology
keywords: benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy; hypnic jerk; nocturnal myoclonus