Conditions That Cause Secondary Myoclonus

Lipid Storage Disease

Secondary myoclonus can be caused by lipid storage diseases, which are a collection of genetic metabolic disorders that cause toxic amounts of lipids to accumulate throughout tissues and cells in the body. The diseases occur when individuals don't produce enough enzymes to break down lipids, or they produce poorly-functioning enzymes. When the body stores lipids excessively, it can lead to permanent tissue and cellular damage. This is particularly serious in the peripheral nervous system, bone marrow, brain, spleen, and liver. Lipidoses are inherited when one or both parents carry a defective lipid-metabolizing enzyme gene. With autosomal recessive cases, neither parent is affected, but both parents have a copy of the gene. With sex-linked recessive cases, the mother has the gene on her X chromosome.