Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
Encyclopedia
Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy is a type of epilepsy
usually obtained in early childhood and adolescence. This type of epilepsy is characterized by twitching and jerking of the muscles normally in the early morning right after awakening, as well as tonic-clonic seizures. One of the most common types of epilepsy, 7% of all people diagnosed with epilepsy has this form also meaning 1 in 14 people with epilepsy have this form. This form of epilepsy is also often misdiagnosed until the patient is specifically asked about the symptoms directly. On an EEG there is often rapid, generalized and often irregular spike waves and polyspike-waves. Photosensitivity
is often associated with Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
or MRI, and computer tomography or a CT scan should appear normal in JME patients.
. Although these treatments work well the only downside is all are most often long-term to lifelong . While using treatment patients with JME have been known to go five or more years without a serious or any seizure at all.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
usually obtained in early childhood and adolescence. This type of epilepsy is characterized by twitching and jerking of the muscles normally in the early morning right after awakening, as well as tonic-clonic seizures. One of the most common types of epilepsy, 7% of all people diagnosed with epilepsy has this form also meaning 1 in 14 people with epilepsy have this form. This form of epilepsy is also often misdiagnosed until the patient is specifically asked about the symptoms directly. On an EEG there is often rapid, generalized and often irregular spike waves and polyspike-waves. Photosensitivity
Photosensitivity
Photosensitivity is the amount to which an object reacts upon receiving photons, especially visible light.- Human medicine :Sensitivity of the skin to a light source can take various forms. People with particular skin types are more sensitive to sunburn...
is often associated with Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
Diagnosis
The primary diagnosis for JME is a good knowledge of patient history and the neurologist's familiarity with the myoclonic jerks, which are the hallmark of the syndrome. Secondarily, an electroencephalogram, more commonly known as an EEG will indicate a pattern of waves and spikes associated with the syndrome. Both a Magnetic resonance ImagingMagnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
or MRI, and computer tomography or a CT scan should appear normal in JME patients.
History
The first citation of JME was made in 1857 when Theordore Herpin described a 13-year-old boy suffering from myoclonic jerks, which progressed to tonic-clonic seizures three months later. In 1957, Janz and Christian published a journal article describing several patients with JME. The name Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy was proposed in 1975 and adopted by the International League Against Epilepsy.Suseptability
Juvenile Mycolonic epilepsy is a genetic syndrome and is inherited, but no one knows how it is inherited. 17-49% of people with JME have relatives that have epileptic seizures. There is also a higher rate of females showing JME symptoms that males. Almost all cases of JME however have and onset in early childhood to puberty. About 4% of people with JME parents have it as well as 7% of patients children are diagnosed with it.Symptoms
Living with Myoclonic epilepsy you experience almost daily muscle jerk seizures as well as sometime a more serious or possibly a tonic-clonic (most severe) seizures. Seizures can also be triggered by Flickering lights such as strobe lights or video games. One in eight children that are diagnosed with childhood absence epilepsy will eventually evolve in to JME. The exact cause of the disorder is yet to be known there has been many medical advancement dealing with the brain chemicals and how JME works within the brain. The symptoms of Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy are more likely to show during times of high stress, sleep deprivation and abnormally large amounts of drinking. These causes also contribute to the late finding of this disease such as in an article on web MD giving a typical story of a person suffering from Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy” But during college, whenever I stayed up all night or drank too much, the next day I would get lots of those jerks, and sometimes a big seizure right after the jerks”.Triggers
JME is a genetic syndrome but it does have triggers such as drinking and sleep deprivation as well as flashing strobe lights such as videogames dance lights and sometimes even just the flashing of lights through trees.Treatment
When it comes to treatment there is not a cure for epilepsy but there are medications people can take to help live a normal, fulfilling and happy lifestyle. Depakote(valproate) is the most common, known as a broad spectrum anti-seizures drug, treatment because it works with the 3 most common type of seizures associated with JME. Some other drugs prescribed to Juvenile Myoclonic Epilesy patients are Keppra, Topamax (topiramate) and LamictalLamotrigine
Lamotrigine, marketed in the US and most of Europe as Lamictal by GlaxoSmithKline, is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used as an adjunct in treating depression, though this is considered off-label usage...
. Although these treatments work well the only downside is all are most often long-term to lifelong . While using treatment patients with JME have been known to go five or more years without a serious or any seizure at all.