Title

Paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus. Association with medullary thyroid carcinoma and review of the literature

Author

Dropcho E; Payne R.

Source

Arch Neurol, 43(4):410-5 1986 Apr

Abstract

The syndrome of opsoclonus-myoclonus (OM) is an infrequent but well-known "remote effect of neuroblastoma in children. The OM syndrome is even less frequent in adults. A few cases of adult paraneoplastic OM have been described in association with several systemic neoplasms. We report the unique case of a 29-year-old man with metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma in whom OM developed as part of a generalized transient encephalopathy. We outline the postulated anatomic lesions and pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the OM syndrome, as well as examine the possible connections between the neuroendocrine derivation of medullary thyroid carcinoma and the neurotoxic and/or autoimmune theories of the causation of the OM syndrome in patients with systemic neoplasms.

Language

English

Unique Identifier

86158429

MESH Headings

Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases CO ; Carcinoma BL/*CO/PA ; Case Report ; Eye Movements * ; Human ; Male ; Myoclonus BL/*CO/IM/PA ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes BL/PA ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Thyroid Neoplasms BL/*CO/PA

Publication Type

JOURNAL ARTICLE

ISSN

0003-9942

Country of Publication

UNITED STATES