Blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm may be associated

Blepharospasm occurs more frequently than hemifacial spasm, suggesting the blink reflex could play a modulatory role in certain at-risk people, according to a study.

E-K Tan, MD, and colleagues at the Singapore General Hospital found nine of 164 hemifacial spasm patients had coexistent blepharospasm, significantly higher than in age- and gender-matched controls. Mean age of the patients with the coexisting diseases was 61.4 years. Six patients reported blepharospasm onset less than a year after hemifacial spasm onset.

The study is published in the March issue of Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.