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DOI: 10.48087/BJMS.2026.130105
Authors: Mohamed Chahine CHEKKOUR.
Keywords: Palatal Myoclonus; Palatal Tremor; SARS-CoV-2; Post-COVID-19 Syndrome; Cochleovestibular Syndrome.
Abstract
Palatal myoclonus (PM) is a rare hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by rhythmic involuntary contractions of the soft palate, sometimes producing audible clicks. We report the case of a 59-year-old woman presenting with persistent isolated PM several months after PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Extensive neurological, laboratory, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging evaluations revealed no structural, autoimmune, metabolic, or infectious abnormalities. The disorder remained stable without progression over long-term follow-up, and symptomatic management with low-dose clonazepam provided partial relief. The temporal sequence raises the possibility of a post-infectious contribution, although the underlying mechanism remains uncertain. This observation expands the spectrum of focal movement disorders reported following systemic viral illnesses and underscores the importance of recognizing atypical presentations when routine investigations are unrevealing. It also illustrates the generally benign course of isolated PM in the absence of identifiable structural pathology.