Seizures

Question 1

What is a seizure?

Answer 1

physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain

Question 2

What is the International League Against Epilepsy’s classification for seizures?

Answer 2

general (those that originate within and rapidly engage bilaterally distributed networks - not necessarily the entire cortex), focal (originate in networks limited to one hemisphere), unknown (unclear what is the onset)

Question 3

What is the classification for causes of seizures?

Answer 3

genetic (epilepsy is the direct result of a known or presumed genetic defect), structural/metabolic (congenital or acquired), unknown

Question 4

What is an electroclinical syndrome?

Answer 4

a complex of clinical features, signs, and symptoms that together define a distinctive, recognizable clinical disorder (e.g. benign infantile epilepsy)

Question 5

What are distinctive constellations in the setting of epilepsy?

Answer 5

less precise than electroclinical syndroms, but distinctive groups based on specific lesions or underlying causes (e.g., Rasmussen encephalitis)

Question 6

What are focal seizures?

Answer 6

involve only a portion of the brain, may have impairment of consciousness or not, may involve visible manifestations (jerking of a limb, automatisms) or experiences perceived on by the patient (unpleasant odor, aura)

Question 7

What are generalized seizures?

Answer 7

involve large parts of both hemispheres of the brain, nearly always impaired consciousness (e.g., tonic-clonic, absence, myoclonic)