JUVENILE MYOCLONIC EPILEPSY

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is an idiopathic primary generalized epilepsy of teenagers, characterized by massive myoclonic seizures, 1 8 patients were investigated. Myoclonic seizures first appeared at the mean age of 14 years and were characterized by short rapid abrupt inv oluntary jerks of extremities with the preserved consciousness, There were 2 types of myoclonic fits: massive seizures with symmetric jerks of extremities (33% of patients) and asymmetric asynchronous seizures of various frequency and intensity (67% of patients), In 50% of patien ts there were myoclonic seizures in leg muscles, in some cases patient s fell down (myoclonicastatic seizures), The authors emphasize the unu sually high frequency of cases with myolonic seizures combined with ab sences (66,7%) and generalized convulsions (83,3%) occurring on awaken ing. It is suggested that myoclonic component in the structure of abse nces may he an early sign of JME and predict development of myoclonic seizures.