William:

I wasn't sure from your description whether you experience a "jolt" /
"electric shock" through your nerves, or whether a limb suddenly jerks.

If it is the latter, it may be myoclonus, which can accompany PD. Even
non-PD people jerk occasionally when falling asleep, but PWPs are more
likely to jerk while awake also, but I don't think it is often anything
more than a minor inconvenience.  So long as the incidents are
infrequent, there's nothing to worry about or to do except to be
prudent: don't hold a cup of coffee indefinitely while talking etc.. It
can even be amusing, as when an uptight adjacent airline passenger
received a bread roll unexpectedly!

The following is transcribed from a pamphlet published by the Myoclonus
Research Foundation (probably in the early 1990s). The information is
obviously directed at people who experience serious (=frequent)
manifestations of the condition, which, from your description, clearly
does not apply to you.

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What is myoclonus?

Myoclonus is a neurological impairment characterized by sudden, shock
like involuntary jerking movements which can interfere with walking, or
speech and manual activities.  Often myoclonus is a serious and
debilitating impairment.

Myoclonic jerks involve the motor system. Epileptic seizures are a
common accompaniment of myoclonus, but intellect and sensation are
spared unless affected by diffuse cerebral damage.  Awareness of the
motor deficits makes the myoclonus patient's life emotionally more
difficult.

Myoclonus may occur in a variety of neurological disorders, such as
toxic or vascular brain damage, degenerative cerebral disorders and
brain tumors.  Even more striking, myoclonus has been a complication of
prolonged deprivation of oxygen.  Myoclonus has been associated with
epilepsy, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic disorders or can be a
complication of a movement disorder, stroke or Alzheimer's disease.
Myoclonus does not discriminate by age or sex.  It occurs in children as
well as in the elderly, and both women and men are its victims.  At this
time, only limited therapy is available.

What causes myoclonus?

The brain mechanisms which cause this disorder remain an enigma.  The
fact that myoclonus can occur in several distinctly different
neurological disorders confounds an understanding of its nature and
impedes attempts to find its neurophysiological source.  At this time,
specific biochemical disturbances of the brain are suspected to be
factors for this condition.  While there is no known way to restore
malfunction in brain tissue, it may be possible to replace missing
chemical agents in the brain, or to remove toxic materials from it.

Additional insights and information are needed to find a remedy which
could significantly change the dependent life of the myoclonic patient.

Myoclonus Research Foundation, Inc.
200 Old Palisade Road
Fort Lee
New Jersey 07024
USA
Tel: 201 585-0770
Fax: 201 585-8114

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Hope you sleep well from now on.

Roger Buxton
CG for JH 50/29/26