Epilepsy Flashcards
Pathophysiology of epilepsy?
Seizures occur due to an imbalance between excitation (mediated by glutamate which acts on NMDA receptors) and and inhibition (mediated by GABA which acts on GABA receptors). This is the result of disturbances of ion channels and can result in neuronal injury.
What is an EEG and what is it used for?
Electroencephalography, used to show epileptiform activity in patients with epilepsy and can identify seizure type.
What is a focal seizure?
Seizure that arises within a focal (specific) region of the brain. Clinical manifestations depend on part of brain affected.
Is consciousness lost during a focal seizure?
In focal aware seizures the person may be alert and able to react. In focal impaired awareness seizures the patient is unresponsive and will experience amnesia.
What is a generalised seizure?
When seizures originate within, or rapidly engage both hemispheres of the brain.
What is a focal motor seizure?
Focal seizures that mainly involve muscle activity (e.g. jerking, loss of muscle tone)
What is a focal non-motor seizure?
Focal seizures where the main symptoms don’t involve muscle activity (e.g. changes to the senses)
What is an absence seizure?
Brief seizure involving loss and then return of consciousness
What is a tonic-clonic seizure?
Seizure producing bilateral, tonic (stiffening of muscle) and clonic (jerking) movements
What is an atonic seizure?
Seizure involving sudden loss of muscle tone (“drop seizure”)
What is a myoclonic seizure?
Brief, shock-like jerks of muscles (i.e. “falling feeling when sleeping”)
What are the generalised seizures?
Clonic Absence Tonic Febrile Atonic Myoclonic
What is a febrile seizure?
Seizures that occur in young children with fevers
