2011-06-26

Dentatorubral degeneration

Ramsay Hunt syndrome type I

Ramsay Hunt syndrome type I
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 G11.1
ICD-9 334.2
OMIM 213400
DiseasesDB 30054
MeSH D002527

Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) type 1 is a rare, degenerative, neurological disorder characterized by myoclonus epilepsy, intention tremor, progressive ataxia and occasionally cognitive impairment

It has also been alternatively called dyssynergia cerebellaris myoclonica, dyssynergia cerebellaris progressiva, dentatorubral degeneration, or Ramsay Hunt cerebellar syndrome.

Presentation

Onset of symptoms usually occur in early adulthood and is characterized by intention tremor, progressive ataxia, convulsions, and myoclonic epileptic jerks. Tremors usually affect one extremity, primarily the upper limb, and eventually involve the entire voluntary motor system.Overall, the lower extremity is usually disturbed less often than the upper extremity. Additional features of the syndrome include: an unsteady gait, seizures, muscular hypotonia, reduced muscular coordination, asthenia, adiadochokinesia and errors with estimating range, direction, and force of voluntary movements. Mental deterioration can occur, however it is rare.

Treatment

Treatment of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Type 1 is specific to individual symptoms. Myoclonus and seizures may be treated with drugs like valproate.

Some have described this condition as difficult to characterize.

Causes

RHS type 1 is caused by the impairment of a regulatory mechanism between cerebellar and brainstem nuclei and has been associated with a wide range of diseases, including , dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy, and celiac disease.

Eponym

It is named for James Ramsay Hunt who first described a form of progressive cerebellar dyssynergia associated with myoclonic epilepsy in 1921.

References

External links






Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsay_Hunt_syndrome_type_I