Clinical, neuropsychological, neurophysiologic, and genetic features of a new Italian pedigree with familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy

Epilepsia. 2009 May;50(5):1284-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01976.x. Epub 2009 Feb 13.

Abstract

We studied the clinical, neuropsychological, neurophysiologic, and genetic features of an Italian family with familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy (FCMTE). Clinically affected members of the family had limb and voice tremor, seizures, and myoclonus involving the eyelids during blinking. Neuropsychological testing disclosed visuospatial impairment, possibly due to temporal lobe dysfunction. Neurophysiologic findings suggested increased primary motor cortex excitability with normal sensorimotor integration. Linkage analysis excluded the 8q24 locus, where patients shared a common haplotype spanning 14.5 Mb in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 2.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 / genetics*
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Electromyography
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic* / complications
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic* / genetics
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic* / psychology
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor / physiology
  • Female
  • Genetic Linkage
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Pedigree*
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / methods
  • Tremor* / complications
  • Tremor* / genetics
  • Tremor* / psychology