Nosological Problems of Myoclonic Epilepsies in Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

An attempt was made to clarify the confusion over the classification of the myoclonic epilepsies of childhood. Six types of seizure were described, the classification being based on clinical and EEG findings. The types of myoclonic epilepsy were infantile spasms, myoclonic astatic epilepsy, myoclonic absence, myoclonic epilepsy fo childhood, myoclonic epilepsy of adolescence and photomyoclonic epilepsy, the last being subdivided into myoclonic jerks and eyelid myoclonia. Synonyms were given for all types. based on the major papers in the literature over the last 16 yr. The similarity of infantile spasms and myoclonic astatic epilepsy was discussed, as were the so-called Lennox and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes.