Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T18:52:10.781Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Palatal myoclonus affected by neck position

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. Tomkinson*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent.
C. Craven
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent.
M. J. K. M. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent.
*
Address for correspondence: Mr A. Tomkinson, F.R.C.S., Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent.

Abstract

Palatal myoclonus is defined as a continuous, rhythmic contraction of the palatal musculature. Reverberant neuronal activity in a region of the brain stem known as the Guillain-Mollaret triangle is believed to underlie this condition.

We present a case of palatal myoclonus which could be abolished, by anterior neck flexion. The pathology and management of this condition is briefly discussed.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bakheit, A. M, Behan, P. O. (1990) Palatal myoclonus successfully treated with clonazepam. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 53(9): 806 (letter).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borggreve, R, Hageman, G. (1991) A case of idiopathic palatal myoclonus: treatment with sodium valproate. European Neurology 31(6):403404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corbin, D. O., Williams, A. C. (1987) Palatal myoclonus influenced by head posture. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 50(3):366 (letter).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fitzgerald, D. C. (1984) Palatal myoclonus – case report. Laryngoscope 94: 217219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guillain, G., Mollaret, P. (1931) Deux cas de myocloies synchronè et rhythmèes velo-pharyngo-laryngo-oculo-diaphragmatiques. Le probleme anatominique et physiologique de la syndrome. Revue Neurologique (Paris) 2: 249264.Google Scholar
Hazell, J. W. (1990) Tinnitus. II. Surgical management of conditions associated with tinnitus and somatosounds. Journal of Otolaryngology 19(1): 610.Google ScholarPubMed
Herrmann, C. J., Brown, J. W. (1967) Palatal myoclonus: a reappraisal. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 5(3): 473492.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jacobs, L., Newman, R. P., Bozian, D. (1981) Disappearing palatal myoclonus. Neurology 31(6): 748751.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kwee, H. L., Struben, W. H. (1972) Tinnitus and myoclonus. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 86(3):237241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Litman, R. S., Hausman, S. A. (1982) Bilateral palatal myoclonus. Laryngoscope 92: 11871189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marsden, C. D., Hallet, M., Fahn, S. (1990) The nosology and pathophysiology of myoclonus. In Movement Disorders. (Marsden, C. D., Fahn, S., eds.), Butterworth Scientific, London, p 217219.Google Scholar
Pierot, L., Cervera, P. P., Delattre, J. Y., Duyckaerts, C, Chiras, J., Brunet, P. (1992) Palatal myoclonus and inferior olivary lesions: MRI-pathologic correlation. Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography 16(1):160163.Google ScholarPubMed
Pulec, J. L., Simonton, K. M. (1961) Palatal myoclonus: a report of two cases. Laryngoscope 71: 608.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roche, S. W., Perkin, G. D. (1987) Palatal myoclonus influenced by neck posture. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 50(10):13881389 (letter).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swanson, P. D., Luttrell, C. N., Magladery, J. W. (1962) Myoclonus: a report of 67 cases and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore) 41: 339356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Toland, A. D., Porubsky, E. S., Coker, N. J., Adams, H. G. (1984) Velo-pharyngolaryngeal myoclonus: evaluation of objective tinnitus and extrathoracic airway obstruction. Laryngoscope 94: 691695.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zarranz, J. J., Fontan, A., Forcadas, I. (1990) MR imaging of presumed olivary hypertrophy in palatal myoclonus. American Journal of Neuroradiology 11(6):1164.Google Scholar