Jancowicz considers diagnosis possible only in typical cases, and
expresses the opinion that paramyoclonus is a syndrome common to many
affections. Further, Schupfer makes the perfectly justifiable remark
that under this denomination have been included cases of chorea, tic,
hysteria, and rhythmic spasm; others have been secondary to organic
disease of the cerebro-spinal axis, such as rolandic lesions, spinal
muscular atrophy, chronic poliomyelitis, syringomyelia. Others, again,
depend on one or other of the psychoses, others on infective conditions
such as malaria, diphtheria, typhoid, or on intoxications such as
uræmia, mercurialism, or lead poisoning. Only a few recorded cases
cannot be attributed to any of the conditions enumerated above, hence
Schupfer's objection to the promiscuous classification of them all as
paramyoclonus multiplex is quite warranted, in the absence of a uniform
etiology and symptomatology.
Schultze[184] has suggested the term monoclonus for the tics, and he
distinguishes monoclonus, polyclonus, and paraclonus. Embraced in the
last of these is the paramyoclonus of Friedreich, which, according to
Schultze, is usually unilateral, voluntary action diminishing the
intensity of the involuntary movements, whereas the converse is the case
in tic or monoclonus. Mixed forms are met with, however, and Schultze
himself mentions one in which the movements were bilateral and increased
with voluntary activity.
Heldenberg[185] applies the term intermittent functional myoclonus to
twitches occurring from time to time in antagonistic muscles during
voluntary movement, twitches exaggerated by excitement and diminished
with rest. They occur in combination with well-marked vasomotor
phenomena.
The myokymia of Kny and Schultze is characterised by fibrillation, pain,
hyperidrosis, and changes in electrical excitability.
A case which seemed to be a combination of paramyoclonus with Thomsen's
disease has been reported by Hajos[186] under the title myospasmia
spinalis.
There cannot possibly be any hesitation in arriving at a diagnosis
between tonic tic and Thomsen's disease, a condition consisting in
slowness of relaxation of a strongly contracted muscle, and conceivably
due to defective metabolism or organic change in muscular tissue.[187]
Examples such as the above, culled at random from an abundant medical
literature, and variously entitled, will serve to demonstrate the
protean nature of what the medical world is content to call myoclonus,
and if from this collection of motor disorders we may hope to extricate
the tics, there will remain still no inconsiderable labour of
differentiation for the student.
TIC AND ATHETOSIS
The athetotic movements that may accompany hemiplegia are scarcely
likely to be confused with those of tic, but difficulties may arise
where the athetosis is double.
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