Antimyoclonic effects of alcohol in progressive myoclonus epilepsy

Abstract

We studied the effect of a single oral intake of 30 to 40 grams of alcohol in 4 consecutive patients presenting with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, the most common type of degenerative progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME) encountered in southern Europe. Clinical and polygraphic monitoring demonstrated abatement of myoclonus in all patients, although the degree of improvement varied among patients. These findings show that alcohol is a potent antimyoclonic agent. In the particular context of PME, occasional alcohol intake may help patients in their social life.