Seizure Types and Treatment Flashcards
(37 cards)
What are the two definitions of a seizure?
- Occasional, sudden, excessive, rapid and local discharges or gray matter;
- Alteration of behavior that results from abnormal and excessive activity of a group of cerebral neurons
Abnormal spikes are seen on ____ associated with cellular networks during a seizure
EEG
What are some possible triggers for a seizure?
- Genetic predisposition
- Trauma, ischemia, stroke, malformation of cortical development
- Febrile illness, sleep deprivation
What neuron channels are associated with seizure pathophysiology?
AMPA and NMDA
What are the two types of seizure?
Partial and Generalized
What are the two types of partial seizures?
Simple and Complex
What are the types of generalized seizure?
- Absence
- Tonic
- Atonic
- GTC
- Myoclonic
What is the most important component of a diagnosis of epilepsy?
HISTORY (then EEG, MRI, and labs)
What is epilepsy?
The tendency to have recurrent unprovoked seizures
Abnormalities in which levels of brain function can lead to epilepsy?
- Neuronal networks
- Neuronal structures
- Neurotransmitters
- Synthesis, inhibition, excitation
- Synaptic development
- Ion channels
What is the term for epilepsies of undetermined type?
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
What is a key distinguishing feature of simple partial seizures?
What are some signs and symptoms?
Consciousness is not impaired
- Clonic movements of face, arm leg
- Somatosensory and autonomic symptoms
- Psychic symptoms: Deja vu; hallucinations; illusions
Are simple partial seizures long or brief?
What are the post-ictal symptoms?
Brief
No post-ictal symptoms (usually)
What is Todd paralysis (associated with simple partial seizures)?
Focal weakness in a part of the body after a seizure
What are other names for complex partial seizures?
What feature is often used to distinguish these from simple partial seizures?
“Temporal lobe” or “Psychomotor” seizures
Consciousness is impaired
What are some manifestations of compex partial seizures?
- Staring
- Automatisms: Facial grimacing; gestures; chewing; lip smacking; repetitive speech
- Fragmented but coordinated motor tasks
How long do complex partial seizures last?
What are the post-ictal symptoms?
Lasts 30 seconds to a minute
- Post-ictal impairment
- Lethargy
- Confusion
- Lasts minutes to hours
What two parts of the brain are associated with complex partial seizures?
Temporal lobe and Frontal lobe
What are the features of an aura?
What brain region associated with complex parital seizures is responsible for auras?
- Aura (associated with temporal lobe origin)
- Fear
- Stomach pain
- Light headedness
- Rising sensation in head or chest
- Distortion of memory or time
- De’ja vu
What post ictal symptoms are associated with a complex partial seizure of temporal lobe origin?
- May have automatism
- Fatigue or deep sleep (not well for hours afterwards)
- Headache
- Emesis
What symptoms are associated with complex partial seizures of frontal lobe origin?
- Arrest of activity
- Versive head and or neck movements
- Blank stare (loss of contact)
- Few automatisms
- Abrupt on and off
What is a tonic-clonic seizure?
Loss of consciousness with stiffening of limbs (tonic phase) that has evolution to generalized jerking of muscles (clonic phase)
What are the post ictal symptom of a tonic-clonic seizure?
What age group is more likely to have these?
Deep sleep post-ictal
Majority in childhood
What are the typical features of an absence seizure?
How long does it last?
Abrupt cessation of activity and change in facial expression (blank stare)
Motor, behavioral and autonomic changes
Less than 30 seconds
