Seizures Flashcards

1
Q

Paracentral seizures

A

Originate on mesial surface of parietal lobe, CL genital sensations & postural motor activity, frequently seconarily generative

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1
Q

Risk factors for psychogenic seizures

A

H/o sexual abuse, epilepsy, psych disorder, head injury/PCS, model for seizure disorder, traumatic life course, family discord/academic stress

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2
Q

Common etiologies of perinatal seizures

A

Toxemia, infection, congenital defects, difficult birth

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2
Q

Possible distinguishing semiology for pseudoseizures

A

Acute emotional disturbance may initiate, rare when sleeping or alone, gradual onset, crying during ictus, occasional talking, asynchronous mvmts, react to avoidance testing, personal injury rare, infrequent micturition & defecation, no ictal epileptiform EEG abnormality

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3
Q

Seizures in the frontal opercular region

A

Epigastric aura, fear, salivation, repetitive chewing mvmts, repetitive swallowing, speech arrest, autonomic symptoms

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4
Q

Todd’s paresis

A

Focal loss of function in whatever region just experience a seizure; loss of motor function is most common, can range from weakness to full paralysis

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5
Q

What is the most common type of seizure?

A

Complex partial

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5
Q

Factors that increase risk of cognitive deficits in seizure disorders

A

AED toxicity, symptomatic epilepsy, seizure type & frequency, younger age at onset, poor control, temporal lobe epilepsy surgery

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6
Q

Tonic seizures

A

Sudden onset of bilateral tonic extension or flexion of the head, trunk, or extremities for several seconds; typically occur during drowsiness or just after falling asleep/waking up

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6
Q

Early signs of mesial temporal lobe seizure

A

Staring, behavioral arrest, automatisms, motor restlessness, nonforced head deviation

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6
Q

Orbitofrontal lobe seizures

A

Usu. complex partial seizures that being with motor or gestural automatisms, peri-ictal urination is typical, may see vocalizations, intense fear, complex motor acts

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6
Q

Cognitive effects of Tegretol

A

May improve processing speed, psychomotor speed, problem-solving & decrease aggression & emotional lability

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6
Q

Neurological & demographic variables that are predictive of post-surgical seizure freedom

A

Unilateral EEG abnormalities, presence of exclusively IL temporal inter-ictal epileptiform discharges, presence of structural abnormalities, younger age at time of surgery, shorter duration of pre-operative epilepsy

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7
Q

Variables improving quality of life among epilepsy patients

A

Reducing seizure frequency, reducing AEDs, promote cognitive reserve/activity, decrease psychiatric symptomatology, reduce family/social/cultural stigma/discrimination

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8
Q

Jacksonian motor seizure

A

Simple partial seizure in which motor symptoms progress or ‘march’ from fingers to arm to face

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9
Q

Supplementary motor area seizures

A

Brief, typically include postural symptoms, often refractory to AEDs

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10
Q

Absence seizures (petit mal)

A

Brief episodes of impairment of consciousness with no warning & short duration no aura or post-ictal fatigue

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11
Q

Late signs of mesial temporal lobe seizure

A

Arrest reaction, restlessness, staring, dystonic posturing of arms

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13
Q

EEG alpha waves

A

8-13 CPS/hz Normal dominant/background activity, reflects an anxiety-free state Lost with eye opening, falling asleep, meds that affect mental function, slows in elderly & in nearly ever brain-based neuro illness

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13
Q

Most common underlying pathology of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

A

Mesial temporal lobe sclerosis

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14
Q

Cognitive side effects of Dilantin

A

Psychomotor speed, memory & problem solving; may result in progressive encephalopathy w/ accompanying deterioration in intellectual fx

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15
Q

Which anticonvulsant has the worst cognitive side effects?

A

Topamax

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16
Q

Simple partial seizures

A

Involve at least 1 focal area of the brain, do not impair consciousness

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16
Q

Corpus callostomy is limited to pts with what types of seizures

A

Unknown seizure focus or multiple seizure foci with debilitating seizures that are frequently atonic/clonic in nature

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17
Q

Childhood absence epilepsy

A

Onset 4-8 years old, may remit in adulthood Seizures are brief staring spells w/ loss of awareness Increased rates of LDs, ADHD, anxiety d/o, mild deficits in attention/exec, delayed & immediate memory, visuospatial

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19
Q

EEG beta waves

A

>13 hz; prominent with concentration, anxiety, under effects of minor tranquilizers

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20
Q

The majority of refractory epilepsies have focal seizures that arise from where?

A

Temporal lobe

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21
Q

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

A

Onset ages 2-8 yrs Triad: atonic, atypical absence, tonic seizures MR, autistic features, bx problems common, developmental delay can predate onset of seizures or become apparent later Common to have multiple seizures daily, status epilepticus is common

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23
Q

Risk factors for complex febrile seizures evolving into later seizures

A

Family hx of afebrile seizures, some kind of neuro involvement prior to febrile seizures, abnormal EEG

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24
Q

Occipital lobe epilepsy

A

Elementary visual hallucinations usually in periphery of CL visual field Amaurosis, scotomas, hemianopsias, quadrantanopsias Tonic/clonic eye deviation, head deviation, blinking, sensation of eye mvmt, nystagmoid eye mvmts Typically spread to temporal, frontal, supplementary motor, or parietal areas

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25
Q

Complex partial seizure

A

Involve at least 1 focal area of the brain, impair awareness/responses to environmental stimuli Typically starts as simple partial (aura), lasts 30 sec-2 mins

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25
Q

Cryptogenic seizure disorder

A

Related to a structural abnormality that is not identifiable with current available methods

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26
Q

Common etiologies of seizures in young adults

A

Trauma, ETOH, neoplasm, drug-related, AVM, AIDS

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28
Q

Common etiologies of seizures in middle aged adults

A

Neoplasm, ETOH, vascular disorder, trauma

29
Q

Atonic seizures

A

Brief loss of muscle tone of the postural muscles

30
Q

Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy

A

-Begins in childhood/adolescence -Spells occur in clusters during sleep -Typically begin w/ aura, evolve into prominent motor phenomena

31
Q

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

A

-Cardinal feature: myoclonus w/ preserved awareness -Triad of seizure types: myoclonus, generalized tonic-clonic, absence -NP deficits: generally mild, processing speed, attention/wm, lang, mem, visuospatial, & exec fx reported -Most consistent deficit is exec fx, typically not present in adulthood

32
Q

Post-ictally, EEGs show

A

Low voltage activity (postictal depression) followed by diffuse high voltage slowing

33
Q

Vagus nerve stimulator

A

Chronic stimulation of the L vagal nerve by electrode implantation & programmable signal generator placed subdermally under the clavicle

34
Q

Most important predictors of quality of life among epilepsy patients

A

perceived seizure frequency, perceived adverse effects of AEDs, perceived cognitive problems due to epilepsy and/or AEDs, limitations in independence

35
Q

Which anticonvulsant drug has been linked to hyperactivity, irritability, & sleep deprivation?

A

Phenobarbital

36
Q

Up to what percentage of individuals with known epileptic disorders will not show abnormalities on the typical in-office brief EEG?

A

60%

36
Q

Multiple subpial transaction

A

Horizontal axonal fiber tracts in the brain are transected while preserving the vertical oriented axonal fiber tracts; offered to pts w/ seizure focus in eloquent cortex

36
Q

Risk factors for epilepsy surgery failure

A

Presence of B EEG abnormalities, presence of secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures with TLE, no structural pathology w/ high resolution MRI, CL memory function intact on Wada (TLE only)

37
Q

Juvenile absence epilepsy

A

Typically begin around puberty, frequency less than childhood variety, consciousness less affected, tonic-clonic seizures more frequent (these tend to persist, while absence decrease/disappear with age)

39
Q

Common etiologies of seizures in late life

A

Vascular disorder, neoplasm, degenerative, cysticercosis, CVA most common after age 65

40
Q

Idiopathic seizure disorder

A

Presumed genetic; thought to reflect molecular dysfx

42
Q

Precentral frontal lobe seizures

A

Begin in primary motor cortex, may consist of simple partial or myoclonic jerks w/ or w/o secondary generalized tonic-clonic convulsions; postictal paralysis of affected body part is common

43
Q

Ictal EEGs show

A

Paroxysmal activity consisting of spikes, slow waves, or complexes of spikes & waves or poly-spikes & waves

43
Q

Automatism

A

Simple & repetitive actions that are not mediated by conscious intention; common ones seen in complex partial seizures include lip smacking or repetitive hand movements

44
Q

What percent of the population has nonspecific EEG changes?

A

15%

45
Q

Symptomatic seizure disorder

A

Related to a known structural abnormality

46
Q

Postcentral gyrus seizures

A

Almost always assoc. w/ aura of positive (or negative) sensations, many objective signs depend on where seizure spreads outside of parietal lobe

48
Q

Premotor frontal lobe seizures

A

Originate in lateral/medial premotor frontal regions, characterized by tonic & postural motor phenomena most common in UEs

49
Q

Most common neurocognitive effects of AEDs

A

Sustained attention, secondary learning & memory effects

50
Q

Familial seizure disorder

A

Demonstrated to be genetic; typically autosomal dominant

52
Q

Benign rolandic epilepsy

A

-Age limited (often remit by 16 yrs old) -Onset 3-13 -Seizures arise from centrotemporal region -Tonic-clonic in nature (most frequently facial twitching); can have UL parathesias & speech arrest

54
Q

Inferior parietal seizures

A

May give rise to sexual sensations, severe vertigo, abdominal sensations, gustatory hallucinations, apraxias, disturbances of body image, spatial disorientation

56
Q

Frontal lobe epilepsy

A

Rapid secondary generalization, focal clonic motor activity, prominent asymmetric tonic posturing, explosive onset & sudden ending, minimal post-ictal confusion, frequent & brief seizures that occur in clusters

57
Q

Good prognostic features of neuropsychological outcome following epilepsy surgery

A

Presence of lesion IL to seizure focus, unilateral EEG abnormalities, presurgical lateralizing NP data in which memory impaired for IL temporal lobe, longer duration of epilepsy, higher presurgical cognitive ability, asymmetric fx neuroimaging findings, memory good on Wada IL injection

58
Q

Dorsolateral frontal lobe seizures

A

Forced thinking, loss of contact w/ & awareness of surroundings, CL adverse deviation of head & eyes, tonic movements, speech arrest

60
Q

Focal (partial) seizures

A

Begin in a focal area of the cortex & are usually associated with underlying structural abnormality

61
Q

Primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal)

A

Tonic extension of extremities for about 20 secs followed by clonic synchronous rhythmic muscle mvmts generally lasting about 45 secs

62
Q

Secondary generalized seizures

A

From simple or complex, spreads across CC to entire cortex

63
Q

Clonic seizures

A

Brief rhythmic jerking mvmts of the muscles frequently affecting both UEs & LEs during which consciousness is impaired

65
Q

Predicting confrontation naming outcomes following epilepsy surgery

A

Reliable decline in naming more likely for patients w/ resection of language dominant temporal lobe & intact naming score and/or shorter duration of epilepsy Reliable decline less likely w/ presurgical naming deficits & longer duration of epilepsy

66
Q

Which types of seizures carry an increased risk of cognitive deficits?

A

Tonic/clonic, atypical absence, mixed

67
Q

Seizures in the anterior cingulate gyrus

A

Usu. complex partial seizures with complex motor & gestural automatisms; autonomic hyperarousal signs & changes in mood/affect common

68
Q

Common etiologies of seizures in young children

A

Congenital abnormality, neonatal meningitis, neurocutaneous disorders

69
Q

West’s syndrome (infantile spasms)

A

Onset b/t 6-18 mos of age, usu. cease by 2-4, 25-60% give rise to other types of seizures Clinical triad: infantile spasms, developmental arrest, hypsarhthmia EEG pattern MR, autistic features, behavioral problems common

70
Q

The most consistent neuropsychological deficit seen in childhood absence epilepsy is

A

Visual memory deficits

71
Q

Myoclonic seizures

A

Sudden, shock-like muscle contractions lasting only a fraction of a second

73
Q

Generalized seizures

A

No aura, no focal semiology, no lateralized findings, no focal EEG abnormalities; immediate LOC

74
Q

Anterior temporal lobectomy

A

Surgical resection in which the anterior temporal lobe is resected en bloc

75
Q

Risk factors for post-op decline in verbal memory following anterior temporal lobectomy

A

Dominant hemisphere resection, intact pre-op NP memory testing, intact pre-op Wada memory testing, absence of mesial temporal sclerosis on imaging

76
Q

What percentage of patients experience seizure freedom with surgical resection?

A

70%

77
Q

Landau-Kleffner syndrome

A

Gradual or sudden onset of auditory agnosia that may involve total unresponsiveness to language or progressive deterioration of expressive speech Language decline may precede presentation of seizures, recovery of lang fx strongly related to age of onset (

78
Q

Common etiologies of seizures in adolescents

A

Idiopathic, trauma, drug-related

79
Q

EEG theta & delta waves

A

Theta = 4-7 hz Delta = 1-3 hz Detected in children & everyone entering deep sleep; generally absent in healthy, alert adults May indicate a degenerative illness or metabolic derangement, focal presence may suggest lesion in that region

80
Q

Which anticonvulsants have the least side effects?

A

Keppra, neurontin, Lamictal

81
Q

Other conditions that mimic seizures

A

Episodic dyscontrol syndrome, cerebrovascular disturbance, panic disorder, breath-holding spells in infants, sleep disorders, migraine, metabolic disturbances

82
Q

Multiple subpial transaction

A

Horizontal axonal fiber tracts in the brain are transected while preserving the vertical oriented axonal fiber tracts; offered to patients the seizure focus in eloquent cortex

83
Q

Posterior parietal seizures

A

Primarily involve BA 5&7 Prominent staring & relative immobility, visual phenomena may occur