ISOLATED NECK EXTENSOR MYOPATHY - A COMMON-CAUSE OF DROPPED HEAD SYNDROME

We report four patients with ''dropped head syndrome,'' a recently des cribed nonprogressive myopathy characterized by severe neck extensor w eakness. This relatively benign condition may be confused with more om inous neuromuscular disorders that also present with prominent neck we akness. We compared clinical and laboratory data from the patients wit h dropped head syndrome with findings from patients with head drop cau sed by other neuromuscular conditions. Patients with ''isolated neck e xtensor myopathy,'' a term we prefer to ''dropped head syndrome,'' cou ld be readily identified with electrophysiologic, radiographic, and hi stologic studies.