Zonisamide-responsive myoclonus in SEMA6B-associated progressive myoclonic epilepsy

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2021 Jul;8(7):1524-1527. doi: 10.1002/acn3.51403. Epub 2021 Jun 6.

Abstract

We present a female patient in her early twenties with global development delay, progressive ataxia, epilepsy, and myoclonus caused by a stop mutation in the SEMA6B gene. Truncating DNA variants located in the last exon of SEMA6B have recently been identified as a cause of autosomal dominant progressive myoclonus epilepsy. In many cases, myoclonus in the context of progressive myoclonic epilepsy is refractory to medical treatment. In the present case, treatment with zonisamide caused clinical improvement, particularly of positive and negative truncal myoclonus, considerably improving patient's gait and thus mobility.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Exome Sequencing / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Myoclonic Epilepsies, Progressive / diagnosis
  • Myoclonic Epilepsies, Progressive / drug therapy*
  • Myoclonic Epilepsies, Progressive / genetics*
  • Pedigree
  • Semaphorins / genetics*
  • Young Adult
  • Zonisamide / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • SEMA6B protein, human
  • Semaphorins
  • Zonisamide

Grants and funding

This work was funded by University of Lübeck grant CS08‐2020; DFG grants 418081722, FOR 2488, and FOR 2698; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; European Reference Network for Rare Neurological Diseases grant 739510.