Central pontine myelinolysis central pontine myelinolysis manifesting with massive myoclonus

Abstract

Central pontine myelinolysis is a rare neurologic disorder defined by symmetric demyelination in the central base of the pons. It usually manifests with neurologic signs such as impaired consciousness, ataxia, spastic quadriparesis, pseudobulbar signs, and the locked-in syndrome which is related to a disconnection syndrome at the pontine level. We report a 17-month-old patient with kwashiorkor and hyponatremia who developed acute massive myoclonus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a central pontine lesion. Central pontine myelinolysis is rare in infants, with only a few cases reported in the literature so far. This report presents the first infantile case of central pontine myelinolysis manifesting with massive myoclonus.