juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

epilepsy /ep·i·lep·sy/ (ep´ĭ-lep″se) any of a group of syndromes characterized by paroxysmal transient disturbances of brain function that may be manifested as episodic impairment or loss of consciousness, abnormal motor phenomena, psychic or sensory disturbances, or perturbation of the autonomic nervous system; symptoms are due to disturbance of the electrical activity of the brain.

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absence epilepsy  that characterized by absence seizures, usually having its onset in childhood or adolescence.

focal epilepsy  that consisting of focal seizures.

generalized epilepsy  epilepsy in which the seizures are generalized; they may have a focal onset or be generalized from the beginning.

grand mal epilepsy  a symptomatic form of epilepsy, often preceded by an aura, characterized by sudden loss of consciousness with tonic-clonic seizures.

jacksonian epilepsy  epilepsy marked by focal motor seizures with unilateral clonic movements that start in one muscle group and spread systematically to adjacent groups, reflecting the march of epileptic activity through the motor cortex.

juvenile myoclonic epilepsy  a syndrome of sudden myoclonic jerks, occurring particularly in the morning or under periods of stress or fatigue, primarily in children and adolescents.

Lafora's myoclonic epilepsy  a form characterized by attacks of intermittent or continuous clonus of muscle groups, resulting in difficulties in voluntary movement, mental deterioration, and Lafora bodies in various cells.

myoclonic epilepsy  any form of epilepsy accompanied by myoclonus.

petit mal epilepsy  absence e.

photic epilepsy , photogenic epilepsy reflex epilepsy in which seizures are induced by a flickering light.

posttraumatic epilepsy  that occurring after head injury.

psychomotor epilepsy  temporal lobe e.

reflex epilepsy  epileptic seizures occurring in response to sensory stimuli.

rotatory epilepsy  temporal lobe epilepsy in which the automatisms consist of rotating body movements.

sensory epilepsy 

1. seizures manifested by paresthesias or hallucinations of sight, smell, or taste.

2. reflex e.

somatosensory epilepsy  sensory epilepsy with paresthesias such as burning, tingling, or numbness.

temporal lobe epilepsy  a form characterized by complex partial seizures.

visual epilepsy  sensory epilepsy in which there are visual hallucinations.

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juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

n.

A form of epilepsy that occurs in adolescents, usually upon awakening, and is characterized by jerks of the shoulder muscles and by seizures that have a clonic phase, followed by a tonic phase, then by a return to clonus.

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juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

Neurology A seizure disorder that comprises ± 4% of seizure disorders Clinical Normal IQ, onset in adolescence, affecting the flexor muscles of the head, neck and shoulders; the attacks tend to occur as clonic-tonic-clonic seizures upon awakening EEG 4-6 Hz multispike and wave pattern; 40% of relatives, especially ♀, have myoclonus Management Valproic acid. See Epilepsy.