Episodic Neurologic Symptoms

Abstract

Intermittent neurologic symptoms comprise a group of complaints that may be associated with dysfunction of many organ systems, including the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and vestibular apparatus. Intermittent metabolic disturbances and psychiatric problems may also result in neurologic symptoms. Despite these diverse etiologies, all the conditions discussed here share the following features: (1) They are intermittent; (2) they are recurrent; (3) they are usually brief, lasting minutes to hours; (4) the patient is usually asymptomatic between attacks; and (5) the symptoms are usually stereotyped for an individual patient. Although intermittent neurologic symptoms often have a benign prognosis, some may be a manifestation of a serious condition. Multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and certain other neurologic illnesses may have intermittent symptoms. Most patients with these conditions have a more chronic course on which intermittent symptoms are superimposed, however; they will not be discussed further here.