Excessive Fragmentary Myoclonus: Time of Night and Sleep Stage Distributions

Abstract

Excessive fragmentary myoclonus during sleep consists of high amounts of brief twitch-like movements occurring asynchronously and asymmetrically in different body areas and has been reported to occur in association with a number of sleep disorders. It was analyzed using a new technique of quantification, the fragmentary myoclonus index (FMI). The FMI exhibited high rates in all stages of sleep but with a somewhat lower frequency in slow wave sleep explaining, as well, a significantly lower rate in the first hour after sleep onset compared to later hours. There was no evidence for greater sleep fragmentation or lighter sleep compared to a matched patient group in whom it had not been noted. © 1993, Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation. All rights reserved.