Sudden, brief, involuntary muscle jerks or contractions that can affect any part of the body. Unlike fasciculations, these involve larger muscle groups and are more noticeable movements.
From Greek 'myo-' meaning 'muscle' and 'klonus' meaning 'violent motion' or 'turmoil'. The term was coined in the late 19th century to describe these characteristic jerky movements.
Myoclonus is actually your brain's version of a hiccup! Just like hiccups involve involuntary diaphragm spasms, myoclonus happens when neurons in your brain or spinal cord suddenly fire in unison, creating those startling muscle jerks that can wake you up at night.
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