Myopathies presenting with head drop: clinical spectrum and treatment outcomes

Dropped head syndrome (DHS) can be the presenting feature of a wide spectrum of neurological conditions affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems, and can be due to underlying neck extension weakness or dystonia. Among central disorders, DHS can be seen in patients with parkinsonism (Parkinson disease or multiple system atrophy) where it can be due to underlying dystonia, myopathy, or a combination of both. [1,2] Among neuromuscular disorders, DHS can be the presenting symptom of an underlying motor neuron disease, defect of neuromuscular transmission (including myasthenia gravis, congenital myasthenia and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome), myopathy, or rarely neuropathy such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
Source: Neuromuscular Disorders - Category: Neurology Authors: Source Type: research