Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome

Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

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• Myoclonic Encephalopathy, Kinsbourne Type
• Opsoclonic Encephalopathy
• Kinsbourne Syndrome
• Dancing Eyes-Dancing Feet

Disorder Subdivisions

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• None

General Discussion

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Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that usually affects infants and young children. It is characterized by the sudden onset of brief, repeated, shock-like spasms of muscles within the arms, legs, or entire body (myoclonus), an impaired ability to control voluntary movements (ataxia), and continual, involuntary, rapid eye movements in both horizontal and vertical directions (opsoclonus).



In approximately 50 percent of affected individuals, a malignant tumor, usually a tumor of embryonic nerve cells (neuroblastoma), is responsible for the symptoms associated with opsoclonus myoclonus. In most other cases, the disorder may be due to a viral infection such as Coxsackievirus B3, poliovirus, or St. Louis encephalitis virus. Rarely, it may result from other underlying causes such as a tumor within the skull (intracranial tumors) or hydrocephalus, a condition in which inhibition of the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and abnormal widening (dilatation) of the cerebral spaces of the brain (ventricles) causes accumulation of CSF in the skull and potentially increased pressure on brain tissue.

Resources

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Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Support Network, Inc.

4616 Brookwood St. NE

Albuquerque, NM 87109

USA

Tel: 5058812285

Email: sandragreenberg@hotmail.com

Internet: www.geocities.com/opso-myoclonus



National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

31 Center Drive

8A07

Bethesda, MD 20892-2540

Tel: (301)496-5751

Fax: (301)402-2186

Tel: (800)352-9424

Email: braininfo@ninds.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/



National Pediatric Myoclonus Center

SIU School of Medicine

Dept. of Neurology, Div. of Ped. Neurology

PO Box 19643

Springfield, IL 62794-9643

USA

Tel: 2175457635

Fax: 2175451903

Email: oms@siumed.edu

Internet: http://www.omsusa.org



Dancing Eye Syndrome Support Trust

78 Quantock Road

Worthing

West Sussex, Intl BN13 2HQ

United Kingdom

Tel: 01903 532383

Fax: 01903 532383

Email: support@dancingeyes.org.uk

Internet: http://www.dancingeyes.org.uk

For a Complete Report

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This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:   3/29/2005

Copyright   1990, 1997, 2005 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.