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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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hope you sleep well from now on. Roger Buxton CG for JH 50/29/26