Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0027066 (myoclonus)
 4,275 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

One-hundred and twenty-four mentally retarded persons with behaviors suggestive of epilepsy were monitored with an 8-channel radiotelemetered electroencephalograph-video recording system (TEEG-VR). Target behaviors were identified by the clinical description of the primary care providers before the TEEG-VR sessions. Whenever possible, the known antecedents of those behaviors were replicated. The target behaviors were considered epileptic when they were observed simultaneously with epileptiform EEG patterns, and pseudoepileptic when nonepileptiform patterns were observed. Twenty persons were classified as epileptic, 50 as pseudoepileptic, 11 as both epileptic and pseudoepileptic, and 43 as inconclusive. Among the pseudoepileptics there were 15 with abnormal EEGs and 4 with epileptiform EEGs. The most frequent topographies of behavior were not significantly related to diagnosis. These included myoclonus, eye blink, head drop, cessation of ongoing activity, and hand and arm automatisms. The diagnosis of epilepsy in mentally retarded persons, on the basis of clinical description, interictal EEG, and medical history, may be inaccurate. TEEG-VR is extremely useful for obtaining a definitive diagnosis of each target behavior.
Appl Res Ment Retard 1986
PMID:Differential diagnosis of epileptic versus pseudoepileptic seizures in developmentally disabled persons. 375 87

Behavioral side effects associated with benzodiazepines (such as clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam) are an easily overlooked and underrecognized problem with individuals who have mental retardation and can be inadvertently confused with other behavioral or psychiatric conditions. Based upon a literature review, behavioral side effects occurred for 13.0% of 446 individuals with mental retardation who were prescribed benzodiazepines for either behavioral or psychiatric conditions (n = 138, 17.4%), epilepsy (n = 208, 15.4%), or other medical conditions such as myoclonus or cerebral palsy (n = 100, 2.0%). Behavioral side effects for individual benzodiazepines for which data were available ranged from 11.4% to 25.0%. Implications of nonrecognition are discussed, and clinical indicators suggesting review by appropriate medical personnel are provided.
Am J Ment Retard 2002 Sep
PMID:Benzodiazepine behavioral side effects: review and implications for individuals with mental retardation. 1218 78