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Research Article| Volume 22, ISSUE 10, P1184-1190, October 1987

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Myoclonic seizures with lithium

  • Steven C. Julius
    Affiliations
    From the Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PAUSA
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  • Richard P. Brenner
    Correspondence
    Address reprint requests to Dr. Richard P. Brenner, EEG Laboratory-3rd Floor, WPIC, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
    Affiliations
    From the Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PAUSA

    From the Department Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PAUSA
    Search for articles by this author
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      Abstract

      Myoclonus has been infrequently observed in patients receiving lithium therapy, and associated electroencephalographic (EEG) changes have not been well described. We report two women, ages 35 and 48, who, after the initiation of lithium carbonate therapy, had several generalized tonic-clonic seizures followed by myoclonic seizures. In both, myclonus was associated with repetitive sharp waves on the EEG. Although the epileptogenicity of lithium remains controversial, the occurrence of myoclonic seizures associated with lithium treatment suggests a proconvulsant effect of lithium in susceptible individuals.
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