Seizures Flashcards
What is Todd’s paralysis? What are the symptoms?
- A condition that follows a seizure
Symptoms - dysphagia
- global aphasia
- hemiplegia
- unilateral vision changes
Wha is the definition of a seizure?
A Transient neurological event caused by excessive or abnormal neuronal electrical disturbances
Manifestations of a seizure
- skeletal muscle contractions
- changes in sensation and autonomic functions
- loss or altered consciousness
- potential respiratory arrest
What are potential causes for seizures?
- space occupying lesions
- traumatic brain injury
- vascular issues like stroke
- metabolic factors (hypoxia/hypoglycaemia)
- infection and hyperthermia
- alcohol and drugs
- eclampsia
Febrile seizures are triggered by high fevers and common in children. What are factors that fluency recurrence?
- age of first seizure
- severity of fever
- family hx
What is a reactive seizure?
Seizures that are triggered by specific stimuli or changes. Common in those diagnosed with epilepsy
What are common triggers for reactiv seizures?
- medication non compliance
- medication changes
- weight changes
- stress or illness
- photosensitivity (rare)
What are barren foci?
An abnormal part of the brain which can lead to aberrant depolarization and over excitation.
They are
- hypersensitive
- hyperactive
- hyper reactive
What neurotransmitters are in relation to seizures. What is the neurotransmitters role?
Glutamate
- excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain
- too much contributes to seizures
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
- inhibitory neurotransmitter in brain
- too little contributes to seizures
What is epileptogenesis?
A process by which a normal brain becomes epileptic
Seizures manifest clinically only when…
There is synchronization or hyper-synchronization of neuronal activity
What are partial seizures?
Aka localized seizures and involve specific regions of the brain and can produced localized symptoms
What are generalized seizures?
It involves significant or entirety of brain. This includes tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures which involve generalized body convulsions
What is epileptogenic tissue?
Regions in the brain that are chronically seizure inducing
What structures of the brain are involved in generalized seizures?
- Thalamus
- reticular activating formation (RAF)
Motor vs non motor seizures
Motor - involve observable movement
Non motor - aka absence seizure (petit mal) where individuals may lose awareness momentarily
What are the phases of tonic clonic seizures?
- Prodromal phase
- Aura
- Ictal phase
- Postictal phase
What is the prodromal phase?
- occurs hours or days before seizure
- symptoms include: fatigue, insomnia, ,headache, nausea, feeling of un wellness
What is the aura phase?
- occurs seconds to minutes before seizure
- symptoms: GI disturbances, anxiety, sensory hallucinations (visual/auditory), and aura
The ictal phase comes in two parts. Tonic and clonic. Describe Tonic phase
- LOC and muscular rigidity
- eye/mouth opening, arm adduction, leg extension
- tongue bitting, incontinence, high pitched cry/gasp
Duration: 10 - 15 seconds
Why does this high pitched cry/gasp occur during the tonic phase?
Because the abdominal and diaphragm muscles contract leading to apnea
The ictal phase occurs in two parts ; tonic and clonic phases. Describe the clonic phase
- rhythmic and alternating muscle contractions and relaxations
Duration: 1 - 2 minutes
Describe the postictal phase
Confusion, disorientation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tachycardia, diphoresis, low grade fever, secondary hypoglycaemia
What are the three types of generalized motor seizures
- Myoclonic
- Atomic
- Epileptic
What is a myoclonic seizure
Characterized by a brief, sporadic involuntary jerking movement which can be unilateral or bilateral
What is a tonic seizures
Aka drop seizures, involve sudden loss of muscle tone
What is the demographic for absence seizures
Children between the age of 4 to puberty
What is the duration and symptoms of absence seizures
Duration: 2 - 10 seconds but can occur hundreds of times a day
Symptoms: brief loss of awareness. Mistaken for daydreaming or spacing out
What is automatism
It is repetitive involuntary movements that occur during seizures
What is the definition of status epilepticus?
A condition characterized by a continuous series of seizures with no recovery period in between
>5 min in duration
What is Jacksonian march?
Focal seizure activity starting in one area like the finger and spreading to adjacent areas like up the arm
