Spinal Myoclonus Related to an Arteriovenous Malformation: Response to Clonazepam Therapy

• Published in: Archives of neurology (Chicago) Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 254 - 255
• Main Authors: Levy, Robert, Plassche, Walter, Riggs, Jack, Shoulson, Ira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Medical Association 01.04.1983
• Subjects: Arteriovenous Malformations - complications; Benzodiazepinones - therapeutic use; Clonazepam - therapeutic use; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myoclonus - drug therapy; Myoclonus - etiology; Spinal Cord - blood supply; Spinal Diseases - drug therapy; Spinal Diseases - etiology
• ISSN: 0003-9942; 1538-3687
• DOI: 10.1001/archneur.1983.04050040084019

Spinal myoclonus consists of sudden, involuntary muscle contractions innervated by a limited segment of the spinal cord and unassociated with EEG abnormalities or alterations in consciousness.1-10 Causes of spinal myoclonus include infection (viral1,5,8-11 and postvaccinal12), intramedullary glioma,3,13-15 extradural cord compression (cervical spondylosis,1 metastatic carcinoma,4 and extramedullary cyst11), trauma,16 and degenerative processes (atrophy,1 motor neuron disease,16,17 meningomyelocele,6 and syringomyelia16). We report a case of spinal myoclonus related to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the spinal cord. REPORT OF A CASE A 57-year-old man experienced a gradual onset, over a three-year period of "shiverlike" movements affecting his thorax and upper abdomen. These involuntary movements lasted for 5 to 10 seconds and initially occurred two to three times a week. Approximately six months before the patient's hospital admission, the frequency of the paroxysmal attacks gradually increased to nearly 100 episodes