The term myoclonus is a shortened form of the name paramyoklonus multiplex used by Nikolaus Friedreich to describe the involuntary movements of a patient whom today would be said to have a form of essential myoclonus. The details of this case and Friedreich's discussion of it have been reviewed. Other early cases and the initial classification scheme of H. Lundborg have been described.
“肌阵挛”一词是尼古劳斯·弗里德赖希(Nikolaus Friedreich)用来描述一名患者非自主运动的“多发性副肌阵挛”(paramyoklonus multiplex)名称的缩写形式,如今这名患者会被诊断为患有某种原发性肌阵挛。该病例的细节以及弗里德赖希对其的讨论已被重新审视。其他早期病例以及H. 伦德伯格(H. Lundborg)最初的分类方案也已被描述。