Epilepsy and Seizures Flashcards

1
Q

what is a seizure?

A

a short episode of symptoms causeed by a burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain

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2
Q

what is epilepsy?

A

ongoing liability to recurrent seizures

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3
Q

seizures can either be…

A

focal or generalized

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4
Q

what is a focal seizure?

A

electrical activity in one part of the brain

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5
Q

what is a generalised seizure?

A

electrical activity is in all parts of the brain

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6
Q

what is one important thing that can differentiate focal seizure to generalised seizure?

A

awareness

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7
Q

focal seizures can sometimes progress to?

A

secondary generalised seizures

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8
Q

some patients may develop ——– before a seizure?

A

aura

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9
Q

auras can include?

A

changes in small, vision and taste

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10
Q

what signs can be seen in a frontal lobe simple focal seizure?

A

motor signs: stiffnesss, twitching or spasm

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11
Q

what is a jacksonian march?

A

focal aware seizure spreads from the distal part of the limb towards the ipsilateral face

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12
Q

what signs can be seen in a parietal lobe simple focal seizure?

A

sensory manifestations can take the form of tingling or numbness or pain

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13
Q

what signs can be seen in occipital lobe simple focal siezures?

A

visual phenomena such as flashing lights, coloutss or hallucinations

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14
Q

what signs can be seen in temporal lobe simple focal seizures?

A

changes in mood or behaviors

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15
Q

what sensation in common in temporal lobe simple focal seizures?

A

rising epigastric sensation

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16
Q

what is a focal impaired awareness seizure or (complex focal seizure)?

A

patient is not aware of surrounding or what they are doing

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17
Q

majority cases of complex focal seizures arise from?

A

temporal lobe

18
Q

what is the most common cause of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy?

A

hippocampal sclerosis

19
Q

what is hippocampal sclerosis associated with?

A

complex partial seizures

20
Q

what are three distinct components of partial seizures?

A

the aura, the loss of consciousness and repetitive stereotyped movements

21
Q

what are examlples of automatism?

A

lip smacking, chewing, fiddling, walking, whistling

22
Q

what is post-ictal confusion?

A

post seizure confusion

23
Q

what is an absence seizure?

A

abrupt sudden loss of consciousness and of all motor activity rapidly stopped. Tone preserved and there is no fall

24
Q

how long are absence seizures?

A

10 seconds or less

25
Q

when do absence seizures usually develop?

A

childhood or adolesence

26
Q

what is the characteristic EEG spike for absence seizures?

A

3Hz

27
Q

how do absence seizures end?

A

as abruptly as started and previous activity is resumed as if nothing had happened with no post ictal confusion

28
Q

what are myoclonic seizures?

A

bried contraction of a muscle, muscle group or several muscle groups resulting in a small twitch or seveere jerk

29
Q

what is a subtype of idiopathic generalized epilepsy?

A

juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

30
Q

what is characteristic of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy?

A

brief myoclonic jerks usually occuring in the first hour or so after awakening. Sudden, shock-like

31
Q

which part of the body do jerks usually affect the body in juvenile myoclonic epilapsy?

A

shoulders and arms

32
Q

which ages do JME usually affect?

A

12 and 18 years

33
Q

in JME generalised tonic-clonic seizures also occur

A

usually months or years after the onset of myoclonus

34
Q

in JME complete response to treatment can be expeected in?

A

80-90% but lifelong therapy may be needed

35
Q

what is a clonic seizure?

A

whe the individual’s muscles begin to spasm and jerk. Elbows, legs and head will flex ad relax rapidly

36
Q

Whoa re clonic seizures most frequently seen in?

A

neonates and young children

37
Q

what is a tonic seizure?

A

brief loss of consciousness, patient falls to the ground and often there is extension of the neck with upturing of the eyes and arching of the back

38
Q

what is the most common form of generalised seizures?

A

tonic clonic

39
Q

what is a tonic clonic seizure?

A

patiently quickly loses consciousnesss and skeletal muscles become stiff and a clonic phase in which the muscles wills tart to contract and relax rapidly

40
Q

what are important things to note about tonic-clonic seizures?

A

tongue might be bitten from strong jaw contractions there may be cyanosis and incontinence