Involuntary muscle spasms and Alzheimer's ?

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Adrian - 16 Mar 2005 23:29 GMT

Hi all,

I'm not sure whether anyone else has experienced this but my mother, who is
64 and who has severe Alzheimer's, has begun over the last few weeks to '
twitch'. Quite often she has an involuntary muscle spasms where her whole
body jerks.
Is this part of the disease?

She used to be able to hold her own cup but when she has one of these spasms
the contents of the cup end up all over her. She is not ready to accept
any kind of beaker so I wondered if anyone knew of any medication that can
control them.

Any information or advice would be most appreciated.

Thankyou

Adrian

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Gwen Love - 17 Mar 2005 00:50 GMT

Adrian, I can't help you but did see your post.
Gwen

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Adrian

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Dennis P. Harris - 17 Mar 2005 05:26 GMT

> I'm not sure whether anyone else has experienced this but my mother, who is
> 64 and who has severe Alzheimer's, has begun over the last few weeks to '
> twitch'. Quite often she has an involuntary muscle spasms where her whole
> body jerks.
> Is this part of the disease?

ASK HER DOCTOR!

sorry to shout, but why hasn't the doctor seen her by now? this
is a very serious neurological symptom. if it was my mother, i
would have had her doctor see her that day, or at least have
talked to the the doc.

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J - 17 Mar 2005 23:54 GMT

Geeez, Dennis!!! Do you always have to be so rude and insensitive to
somebody's situation?? there's a LOT of things that come up with the
condition and you DON'T know all the circumstances around it!

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Evelyn Ruut - 17 Mar 2005 06:16 GMT

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Adrian

It could be a lot of things.... possibly the start of parkinsons, possibly
something else.... you really need to tell the doctor and get a diagnosis on
that.

Signature

Regards,
Evelyn

(to reply to me personally, remove 'sox")

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Mary_Gordon@tvo.org - 17 Mar 2005 08:21 GMT

Hi Adrian, yes, it can be part of the disease. AD can cause seizures
(in about 10% of sufferers) and also monoclonic jerks (an additional
10%). Do a google on monoclonic jerks or monoclonus and Alzheimer's.
Monoclonic jerks seem to be particularly associated with early onset
and a couple of genetic mutations (i.e. if you rummage around the
research, you come across studies involving families where monoclonus
was a particular feature of the pattern of the disease - which is not
to say ONLY people with certain mutations get monoclonus with AD). It
seems to be a side product of brain damage.

Here is a good fact sheet

http://accessible.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus/detail_myoclonus.htm

You need to talk to the doctor and get it checked out and confirmed,
and then discuss what can be done. The medications that treat
monoclonus may create other unwanted problems for a person with AD.

Mary G.

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Adrian - 18 Mar 2005 01:07 GMT

Thanks for the information folks. I've made an appointment with Mum's
specialist to see what he thinks.

Adrian

> Hi Adrian, yes, it can be part of the disease. AD can cause seizures
> (in about 10% of sufferers) and also monoclonic jerks (an additional
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Mary G.

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