Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Causing Rapidly Progressive Dementia and Myoclonic Jerks in a Sexagenarian Woman

Antonio Jose Reyes; Kanterpersad Ramcharan; Sean Perot; Stanley Lawrence Giddings; Fidel Rampersad; Reanna Gobin

doi:10.7916/tohm.v0.680

Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Causing Rapidly Progressive Dementia and Myoclonic Jerks in a Sexagenarian Woman

Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2019 Aug 27:9. doi: 10.7916/tohm.v0.680. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Antonio Jose Reyes^{1

2}, Kanterpersad Ramcharan³, Sean Perot², Stanley Lawrence Giddings^{1

2}, Fidel Rampersad⁴, Reanna Gobin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Disease Unit, San Fernando Teaching Hospital, The University of the West Indies, San Fernando, TT.
² Department of Medicine, San Fernando Teaching Hospital, The University of the West Indies, San Fernando, TT.
³ Department of Medicine, Surgi-Med Clinic, The University of the West Indies, San Fernando, TT.
⁴ Radiology Department, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, TT.

Abstract

Background: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a disease of childhood and adolescence, but can affect adults. Rapidly progressive cognitive decline, seizures including myoclonic jerks, spasticity, ataxia, visual disturbances, and incontinence are typical manifestations.

Case report: A 62-year-old woman who presented with rapidly progressive dementia and myoclonus was diagnosed with SSPE. There was resolution of the movement disorder with clonazepam and valproic acid treatment and some amelioration of cognitive decline after 3 months of therapy with interferon alfa and isoprinosine.

Discussion: With the recent rise in measles cases worldwide, any increased incidence of SSPE would require vigilance for early interventions.

Keywords: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis; dementia; isoprinosine; measles; myoclonic jerks; vaccination..

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Dementia / complications
Dementia / diagnostic imaging*
Disease Progression*
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Myoclonus / complications
Myoclonus / diagnostic imaging*
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / complications
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / diagnostic imaging*
Time Factors