Flashcards in Seizures and Epilepsy Deck (30):
1
Seizure
Clinical event - Paroxysmal episodes of brain dysfunction manifested by stereotyped alteration in behavior
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Epilepsy
Syndrome that includes recurrent seizures
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What receptors propagate seizure activity?
NMDA (glutamate) receptors
4
What receptors inhibit seizure activity?
GABA receptors
5
What are the populations most at risk for seizures?
- Young children and infants
- Elderly
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Partial Seizure
Seizure has a focal onset in the brain
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Simple Partial
Seizure with no alteration of consciousness
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Complex Partial
Focal seizure with impaired consciousness
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Partial with Generalized Tonic-Clonic
Focal onset with bilateral convulsive seizures
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Generalized Seizure
The entire brain seizes at once
11
What is the most common partial seizure?
Temporal Lobe Seizure
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What are the symptoms of temporal lobe seizure?
- Epigastric aura - rising sensation
- Staring and unresponsiveness with some possible contralateral limb posturing
13
What are the characteristics of frontal lobe seizures?
- Complex movements
- Often occurs at night
- Versive movement of eyes away from a seizure location
14
Todd's Paralysis
Weakness for up to 24 hours after a seizure
15
Parietal Lobe Seizure
Uncommon but can have numbness in lips/fingers/toes with some visual hallucinations
16
Occipital Lobe Seizures
Darkness or sparks of light with red as the most common color seen
17
What is a young child who stares off into space at school often a classical example of?
Absence Seizures
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What is seen on EEG of absense seizures?
3 Hz spike and wave pattern
19
What are absence seizures treated with?
Ethosuximide
20
Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
Myoclonus: shock-like or
lightening-like contraction of
a group of muscles that occurs in the morning in teenagers
21
What is juvenile myoclonic epilepsy treated with?
Valproic Acid
22
Atonic Seizures
Sudden loss of tone that can cause head drop or all involved muscles with a brief loss of consciousness
23
Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
"Classic" seizure AKA grand mal with contractions leading to extension and arching and alternating contraction and relaxation with possible ictal cry and sometimes loss of bladder control
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A 38 year old male with
history of a left parietal
cortex oligodendroglioma
presents for episodic right
arm tingling and occasional
hand stiffening. He is aware
of the symptoms when they
occur and does not lose
consciousness when they
occur.
Simple Partial - Left Motor Cortex
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A 36 year old male presents
for an episodic âburning
smellâ and epigastric rising
sensation. His colleagues
report that he âstares offâ at
his desk and has difficulty
speaking for several
minutes.
Complex Partial - Left Temporal Lobe
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A 22 year old female is
brought to the ER by her
roommate. The roommate
noted the patientâs eyes turn
to the left side, followed by
complete body shaking. On
examination, she has blood
on her teeth and her tongue
has been lacerated.
Complex Partial - Right Frontal Lobes (eye fields)
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Pseudoseizures
Seizures of non-epileptic origin and is psychiatric in nature
28
What is a typical sign of pseudoseizures?
Head turning
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Status Epilepticus
â Continuous seizure activity (variably defined as more than 5 minutes, with long-term consequences at more than 30 minutes)
â Greater than 2 seizures in a row and patient does not regain consciousness in between
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