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Paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis: Clinical features and investigation of pathophysiology in a large family
Author(s) -
Jarman Paul R.,
Bhatia Kailash P.,
Davie Charles,
Heales Simon J. R.,
Turjanski Nora,
TaylorRobinson Simon D.,
Marsden C. David,
Wood Nicholas W.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/1531-8257(200007)15:4<648::aid-mds1008>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - choreoathetosis , dystonia , basal ganglia , chorea , family history , movement disorders , psychology , neuroscience , medicine , psychiatry , pediatrics , central nervous system , disease
Paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis (PDC) is an unusual hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by attacks of chorea, dystonia, and ballism with onset in childhood. We report a large British family with dominantly inherited PDC linked to chromosome 2q and describe the clinical features in 20 affected family members. Attacks were precipitated by a variety of factors, including caffeine, alcohol, or emotion, and could be relieved by short periods of sleep in most subjects. The clinical features in the family are compared with those of 11 other PDC families in the literature and a core phenotype for PDC suggested. CSF monoamine metabolites measured at baseline and during an attack in one subject were found to increase during the attack. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of brain and basal ganglia performed both during and between attacks was normal. Positron emission tomography using the D 2 receptor ligand, 11 C‐raclopride, showed no abnormalities.