Skip to main content
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1976 Nov;39(11):1086–1091. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.39.11.1086

Neuromyotonia: an unusual presentation of intrathoracic malignancy.

J C Walsh
PMCID: PMC1083308  PMID: 1011019

Abstract

A 48 year old woman is described who presented with increasing muscular rigidity and who was found to have a mediastinal tumour. Electrophysiological studies revealed that the muscular stiffness resulted from very high frequency motor unit activity which outlasted voluntary effort, and which was abolished by nerve block. The abnormal activity may have arisen at the anterior horn cell level. Marked improvement followed the administration of diphenylhydantoin.

Full text

PDF
1086

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amick L. D., Smith H. L., Johnson W. W. An unusual spectrum of progressive spinal muscular atrophy. Acta Neurol Scand. 1966;42(3):275–295. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1966.tb01183.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. HOWARD F. M., Jr A new and effective drug in the treatment of the stiff-man syndrome: preliminary report. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin. 1963 May 22;38:203–212. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Isaacs H., Frere G. Syndrome of continuous muscle fibre activity. Histochemical, nerve terminal and end-plate study of two cases. S Afr Med J. 1974 Aug 10;48(38):1601–1607. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kasperek S., Zebrowski S. Stiff-man syndrome and encephalomyelitis. Report of a case. Arch Neurol. 1971 Jan;24(1):22–30. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1971.00480310050004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. MOERSCH F. P., WOLTMAN H. W. Progressive fluctuating muscular rigidity and spasm ("stiff-man" syndrome); report of a case and some observations in 13 other cases. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin. 1956 Jul 25;31(15):421–427. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McLeod J. G., Baker W. de C., Shorey C. D., Kerr C. B. Mitochondrial myopathy with multisystem abnormalities and normal ocular movements. J Neurol Sci. 1975 Jan;24(1):39–52. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(75)90006-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Munsat T. L., Woods R., Fowler W., Pearson C. M. Neurogenic muscular atrophy of infancy with prolonged survival. The variable course of Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease. Brain. 1969 Mar;92(1):9–24. doi: 10.1093/brain/92.1.9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. RUSHWORTH G., LISHMAN W. A., HUGHES J. T., OPPENHEIMER D. R. Intense rigidity of the arms due to isolation of motoneurones by a spinal tumour. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1961 May;24:132–142. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.24.2.132. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. TRETHOWAN W. H., ALLSOP J. L., TURNER B. The "stiff-man" syndrome. A report of two further cases. Arch Neurol. 1960 Oct;3:448–456. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1960.00450040098012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wallis W. E., Van Poznak A., Plum F. Generalized muscular stiffness, fasciculations, and myokymia of peripheral nerve origin. Arch Neurol. 1970 May;22(5):430–439. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1970.00480230048005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Walsh J. C., McLeod J. G. Alcoholic neuropathy. An electrophysiological and histological study. J Neurol Sci. 1970 May;10(5):457–469. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(70)90025-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Walsh J. C. The neuropathy of multiple myeloma. An electrophysiological and histological study. Arch Neurol. 1971 Nov;25(5):404–414. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1971.00490050038003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES