CNS 2 (Seizures)

Question 1

Epilepsy

Answer 1

Neurological disorder with brief disturbances in normal electrical activity in the brain, characterized by sudden, brief seizures.

Question 2

Seizure

Answer 2

Sudden alteration of behavior caused by CNS dysfunction; sudden and transient.

Question 3

Epileptic Seizure

Answer 3

Seizure due to excess depolarization and hypersynchronization of neurons.

Question 4

Non-Epileptic Seizure

Answer 4

Seizure-like episode not caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Question 5

Status Epilepticus

Answer 5

Seizure >30 min or frequent seizures without regaining awareness. Medical emergency.

Question 6

Simple Partial Seizure

Answer 6

No loss of consciousness; symptoms depend on seizure location.

Question 7

Complex Partial Seizure

Answer 7

Loss of consciousness; patient appears awake but unaware; symptoms depend on location.

Question 8

Absence Seizure

Answer 8

Loss of consciousness, behavioural arrest, staring; common in children; brief, may recur multiple times/day.

Question 9

Tonic/Clonic Seizure

Answer 9

Loss of consciousness, tonic rigidity (1 min), then clonic contractions (2-3 min); post-ictal confusion and headache.

Question 10

Myoclonic Seizure

Answer 10

Sudden, brief muscle contractions without loss of consciousness.

Question 11

Tonic Seizure

Answer 11

Sudden muscle stiffening with impaired consciousness.

Question 12

Atonic Seizure

Answer 12

Sudden loss of muscle tone (~15 sec); also called ‘drop seizures’.

Question 13

Secondary Generalized Seizure

Answer 13

Begins as focal and spreads; aura may precede.

Question 14

Frontal Lobe Seizure

Answer 14

Motor symptoms, tonic posturing, complex automatisms (e.g., laughter, crying).

Question 15

Temporal Lobe Seizure

Answer 15

Emotions, déjà vu, hallucinations (auditory/olfactory), nausea.

Question 16

Parietal Lobe Seizure

Answer 16

Paresthesias, sensory distortions, complex hallucinations.

Question 17

Occipital Lobe Seizure

Answer 17

Visual hallucinations (flashes), nystagmus, temporary blindness.

Question 18

Symptomatic Epilepsy

Answer 18

Known physical cause (e.g., tumor, stroke, infection).

Question 19

Idiopathic Epilepsy

Answer 19

Unknown cause; often genetic.

Question 20

Cryptogenic Epilepsy

Answer 20

Unknown but likely physical cause not yet identified.

Question 21

Seizure Threshold

Answer 21

Balance between excitatory and inhibitory brain forces; affected by stroke, trauma, infection, fever, flashing lights.

Question 22

AED MOAs

Answer 22

1) Block Na+ channels 2) Block Ca2+ channels 3) Glutamate antagonism 4) GABA potentiation.

Question 23

Phenytoin

Answer 23

Blocks Na+ channels; not for absence seizures; narrow therapeutic index; side effects: sedation, gingival hyperplasia, rash, teratogenic.

Question 24

Ca2+ Channel Block

Answer 24

Reduces neurotransmitter release by blocking presynaptic calcium entry.

Question 25

Glutamate Antagonist

Answer 25

Blocks NMDA/AMPA receptors, reducing CNS excitation.

Question 26

GABA Potentiation

Answer 26

1) Enhance GABA binding 2) Stimulate release 3) Inhibit reuptake 4) Inhibit metabolism.

Question 27

Depression Diagnosis

Answer 27

≥5 symptoms over 2 weeks (depressed mood, insomnia, weight change, etc.).

Question 28

Exogenous Depression

Answer 28

From external triggers like grief or failure.

Question 29

Endogenous Depression

Answer 29

Not always linked to events; includes major, severe, atypical, dysthymia, SAD, postpartum.

Question 30

Monoamine Hypothesis

Answer 30

Depression due to altered monoamine function (e.g., serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine).

Question 31

TCA

Answer 31

Blocks reuptake of 5-HT and NE; side effects: anticholinergic, sedation, weight gain, cardiac toxicity.

Question 32

SSRI

Answer 32

Blocks 5-HT reuptake; fewer side effects than TCAs; risk of serotonin syndrome.

Question 33

SNRI

Answer 33

Blocks 5-HT and NE reuptake; faster onset; side effects: nausea, hypertension.

Question 34

MAOI

Answer 34

Blocks MAO-A and MAO-B; increases 5-HT, NE, DA; risk of hypertensive crisis with tyramine foods.

Question 35

Bipolar Disorder

Answer 35

Mood swings between mania and depression; treated with mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants.

Question 36

Mood Stabilizers

Answer 36

Lithium/Valproic acid; prevent and treat episodes; lithium affected by sodium levels.

Question 37

Antipsychotics in Bipolar

Answer 37

Control manic symptoms; preferred: atypical due to fewer extrapyramidal effects.

Question 38

Antidepressants in Bipolar

Answer 38

Used only with mood stabilizers to avoid mania induction.

Question 39

Anxiety Disorder

Answer 39

Functional impairment from excessive anxiety; includes GAD, panic, OCD, phobias, PTSD.

Question 40

BDZs

Answer 40

Enhance GABA action; treat anxiety, seizures, insomnia, withdrawal, spasms. Safer than barbiturates.

Question 41

Buspirone

Answer 41

Non-sedating, no CNS depression, treats GAD, slow onset.

Question 42

Antidepressants for Anxiety

Answer 42

SSRIs/SNRIs for GAD and social anxiety; TCAs/MAOIs for panic; SSRIs for OCD.

Question 43

3 classes of seizure

Answer 43

1. Symptomatic epilepsy - Epilepsy arising from an identified physical cause, such as a brain tumor, stroke, infection, or other injury. 2. Idiopathic Epilepsy - Epilepsy that does not have an identifiable cause; there is often a family history of seizures, and genetics likely play a role. 3. Cryptogenic epilepsy - Epilepsy that is likely to have an underlying cause that has not been identified.