JUVENILE MYOCLONIC EPILEPSY (JME)

Mandatory seizures

Myoclonic seizures occur, seen especially within an hour of waking from sleep. They predominantly affect the upper limbs and are facilitated by sleep deprivation. They can be facilitated by photic stimulation or by praxis. Myoclonic status epilepticus can occur.

May have

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures may be seen (in >90%), these are often preceded by a series of myoclonic seizures that increase in frequency and severity resulting in a myoclonic-tonic-clonic sequence. Generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus is not expected.

Absence seizures - seen in one third of cases, these are brief (3-8 seconds), less frequent (< daily) and have less impairment of awareness than absence seizures seen in childhood absence epilepsy.

Exclusionary

Any other seizure type.