Neurology
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We assessed motor phenomena in syncope and convulsive seizures to aid differential diagnosis and understand the pathophysiologic correlates. ⋯ Jerks and tonic postures were common in syncope, but semiology differed from convulsive seizures. The lack of overlap in the number of jerks suggests that less than 10 indicates syncope and more than 20 a convulsive seizure: the "10/20 rule." Loss of tone strongly favors syncope. The EEG correlates imply that jerks in syncope are likely of cortical origin, whereas tonic postures may result from brainstem disinhibition.