Familial adult onset myoclonic epilepsy associated with migraine.

We report a new type of migraine associated epileptic syndrome in a family: adult onset myoclonic epilepsy with benign course and migraine. Affected members of the family had myoclonic and rare generalised tonic-clonic seizures. Most of the patients, but not all, had a history of migraine. Also, some cases of the family had only migraine. This family will be discussed because of two distinct features. Firstly, in this family a different type of epilepsy, adult onset myoclonic epilepsy was diagnosed that has not been classified in the ILAE 1989, classification(s), but was similar to that previously reported in Japanese families. Secondly, in most of the cases migraine was associated with the epilepsy. Copyright 2000 BEA Trading Ltd.