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Abstract
Myoclonus can cause significant disability for patients. Myoclonus has a strikingly diverse array of underlying etiologies, clinical presentations, and pathophysiological mechanisms. Treatment of myoclonus is vital to improving the quality of life of patients with these disorders. The optimal treatment strategy for myoclonus is best determined based upon careful evaluation and consideration of the underlying etiology and neurophysiological classification. Electrophysiological testing including EEG (electroencephalogram) and EMG (electromyogram) data is helpful in determining the neurophysiological classification of myoclonus. The neurophysiological subtypes of myoclonus include cortical, cortical-subcortical, subcortical-nonsegmental, segmental, and peripheral. Levetiracetam, valproic acid, and clonazepam are often used to treat cortical myoclonus. In cortical-subcortical myoclonus, treatment of myoclonic seizures is prioritized, valproic acid being the mainstay of therapy. Subcortical-nonsegmental myoclonus may be treated with clonazepam, though numerous agents have been used depending on the etiology. Segmental and peripheral myoclonus are often resistant to treatment, but anticonvulsants and botulinum toxin injections may be of utility depending upon the case. Pharmacological treatments are often hampered by scarce evidence-based knowledge, adverse effects, and variable efficacy of medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley B. Pena
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Rd S, Jacksonville, Florida 32224 USA
| | - John N. Caviness
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 13400 East Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, Arizona 85259 USA
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Riva A, Guglielmo A, Balagura G, Marchese F, Amadori E, Iacomino M, Minassian BA, Zara F, Striano P. Emerging treatments for progressive myoclonus epilepsies. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 20:341-350. [PMID: 32153206 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1741350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Progressive myoclonus epilepsies (PMEs) are a group of neurodegenerative diseases, invariably leading to severe disability or fatal outcome in a few years or decades. Nowadays, PMEs treatment remains challenging with a significant burden of disability for patients. Pharmacotherapy is primarily used to treat seizures, which impact patients' quality of life. However, new approaches have emerged in the last few years, which try to curb the neurological deterioration of PMEs through a better knowledge of the pathogenetic process. This is a review on the newest therapeutic options for the treatment of PMEs.Areas covered: Experimental and clinical results on novel therapeutic approaches for the different forms of PME are reviewed and discussed. Special attention is primarily focused on the efficacy and tolerability outcomes, trying to infer the role novel approaches may have in the future.Expert opinion: The large heterogeneity of disease-causing mechanisms prevents researchers from identifying a single approach to treat PMEs. Understanding of pathophysiologic processes is leading the way to targeted therapies, which, through enzyme replacement or underlying gene defect correction have already proved to potentially strike on neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Riva
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Guglielmo
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Marchese
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Amadori
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Berge Arakel Minassian
- Pediatric Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern and Dallas Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Federico Zara
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G.Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Myoclonus is a hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by sudden, brief, lightning-like involuntary jerks. There are many possible causes of myoclonus and both the etiology and characteristics of the myoclonus are important in securing the diagnosis and treatment. Myoclonus may be challenging to treat, as it frequently requires multiple medications for acceptable results. Few randomized controlled trials investigating the optimal treatment for myoclonus are available, and expert experience and case series guide treatment. Areas Covered: In this article, the authors review the basics of myoclonus and its classification. The authors discuss the current management of myoclonus and then focus on recent updates in the literature, including both pharmacologic and surgical options. Expert opinion: Myoclonus remains a challenge to manage, and there is a paucity of rigorous clinical trials guiding treatment paradigms. Furthermore, due to the etiological heterogeneity of myoclonus, defining the appropriate scope for high-quality clinical trials is challenging. In order to advance the field, the myoclonus study group needs to be revived in the US and abroad so that interested investigators can collaborate on multicenter clinical trials for myoclonus treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Stahl
- a NYU Langone Health , The Marlene and Paolo Fresco Institute for Parkinson's and Movement Disorders, A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence , New York , NY , USA
| | - Steven J Frucht
- a NYU Langone Health , The Marlene and Paolo Fresco Institute for Parkinson's and Movement Disorders, A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence , New York , NY , USA
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Bhat S, Ganesh S. New discoveries in progressive myoclonus epilepsies: a clinical outlook. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:649-667. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1503949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Bhat
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
| | - Subramaniam Ganesh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
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