ABSTRACT
In 1822, 'myoclonus' was described by Pritchard as 'a symptom associated with epilepsy'.1 Delasiave in 1854 termed it 'petit mal moteur'. In 1867, Herpin gave the first detailed description of a patient with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) calling the myoclonic jerks 'secousses'. In 1881, Gowers classified the jerks among the generalised 'auras' and considered them to be epileptic. Unvericht described progressive myoclonic epilepsy in 1901 but failed to recognise the existence of more benign variants. In 1957, Janz and Christian published their article on 47 patients with 'impulsive petit mal'. Lund in 1975 introduced the term JME and this term was soon admitted into the international classification system thereafter.
