Epilepsy and Movement Disorders (Electronic book text)

The boundaries between epilepsy and movement disorders are difficult to define; some syndromes or diseases may combine the two and many manifestations of one are similar to the other. For the first time, a distinguished, international team of specialists comprehensively examines the clinical, neurophysiological, genetic, pharmacological and molecular factors which underlie the relationships and differences between the two disorders. They examine the methods for investigating motor cortex excitability and the electrophysiological and chemical characteristics of epilepsies which resemble movement disorders. They present a scheme for neurophysiological classification of myoclonic epilepsies and myoclonus and give a detailed analysis of the disorders which cause diagnostic problems in children and adults. There is also an innovative, up-to-date review of the genetic syndromes which associate epilepsy and paroxysmal dyskinesias, and a review of the drugs used to treat, or which may precipitate, epilepsy and movement disorders. This is essential reading for clinicians and neuroscientists.