What e the symptoms of myoclonus?
Myoclonus is a neurological movement disorder characterized by sudden, involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles. The muscle jerks are strong enough to cause a movement of the involved body part. Myoclonus may involve all muscles of the body, or may be isolated to one or more muscles such as those of the palate or diaphragm. In some cases, myoclonic movements may be stimulus sensitive, occurring in response to a sensory stimulus or sudden noise. The diagnosis of myoclonus is made following a detailed history and physical assessment. Diagnostic tests may be required for accurate diagnosis. Most often myoclonus is one of several symptoms in a wide variety of nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Familiar examples of normal myoclonus include hiccups, and jerks or “sleep starts” that some people experience while drifting off to sleep.
