Epilepsy Flashcards
Focal Seizure
Unilateral with local onset usually originates from cortical tissue
Generalized Seizure
Bilateral and originates from subortical or deeper brain focus.
Prodroma
early clinical manifestations of malaise, headache, and sense of depression
hours-few days before seizure onset
Aura
peculiar sensation preceding onset of focal seizure; gustatory (taste), visual or auditory experience; feeling of dizziness or numbness
Absence Seizure
sudden onset of interruption of activities, blank stare that lasts 20-30 seconds. No aura, prodroma, or postictal state
Myoclonic jerks
brief shock-like muscular contractions; single jerk or series of jerks. Synchronous and bilateral of the whole body. No alteration in concsiousness.
electric shock
Clonic
state of alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles; bilateral and more sustained/rhythmic than myoclonic
contract + relax
Tonic phase
state of muscle contraction with excessive tone (stiffening)
Tonic-clonic
initial tonic phase followed by clonic phase
stiff, contract, relax
Atonic
sudden loss of muscle tone
head drop, limb drop, or slumping
Post-ictal state
time period immediately following cessation of a seizure
Epilepsy
condition in which a person has recurrent seizures due to a chronic, underlying process
Seizures
Genetic causes
Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME), Dravet Syndrome, Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE)
most common in childhood
Dravet Syndrome
mutations of voltage-gated Na+ channel type 1 alpha subunit (SCN1A)
Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE)
mutations in T-type Ca2+ channels and GABA receptor subunits
Seizures
Structural Causes
- Mesial temporal lobe form occurs with sclerosis/glial scarring in hippocampus
- Traumatic brain injury from blunt force or stroke
- common in older adults
seizures
Infectious causes
the most common cause worldwide
development of epilepsy as sequele of infection
common in children
seizures
Metabolic and Immune forms
- less common
- metabolic: altered glycogen metabolism causes insoluble glycogen inclusion bodies
- immune: anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Epilepsy risk factors
premature birth/low birth weight, family history, sleep deprivation, sensory stimuli, stress, hormonal changes can be associated with frequency
Drugs that Cause Seizures
theophylline, alcohol, phenothiazines, antidepressants, street drugs, or antiseizure drugs at toxic levels
Glutamate causes
excitation!
GABA causes
inhibition!
Status Epilepticus (SE)
a seizure lasting longer than 30 minnutes (now worry at 5 min) with/without impairment of consciousness or, occurence of recurrent seizures without intervening periods of consciousness