Myoclonus and ocular oscillations induced by L‐tryptophan

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Abstract
A patient with chronic manic‐depressive illness developed generalized myoclonus and spontaneous ocular oscillations after a single 2 gm dose of L‐tryptophan. She had been pretreated with both a tricyclic antidepressant and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. The involuntary movements gradually disappeared within 24 hours after the drugs were discontinued. Electrooculographic recording 7 hours after onset of the abnormal eye movements revealed square‐wave jerks and hypometric voluntary saccades. Pursuit as well as optokinetic and vestibular slow phases were normal except for superimposition of the square‐wave jerks. Repeat recording 24 hours later was entirely normal.