LIMB-SHAKING TIA: CORTICAL MYOCLONUS ASSOCIATED WITH ICA STENOSIS

Limb-shaking associated with steno-occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) was first reported by Miller Fisher(1) in 1962, and is characterized by brief, jerky, coarse, involuntary movements involving an arm or leg. Limb-shaking TIA is an under-recognized manifestation of an intracranial and extracranial carotid occlusion or severe stenosis. Although hemodynamic compromise has been suggested to be associated with shaking movements, the pathogenic nature of this symptom remains unclear. Neurophysiologic evaluation of this movement disorder would be useful, but the attack is rare and typically lasts less than 5 minutes.(2) Thus, few reports have investigated this hyperkinetic phenomenon under neurophysiologic assessment.(3</SUP)