27/05/2025
SEIZURES
A seizure is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain. It can cause changes in behavior, movements, and feelings.
Types
Focal seizures
= without loss of consciousness.Once called simple partial seizures, these seizures don't cause a loss of awareness, also known as consciousness. They may alter emotions or change the way things look, smell, feel, taste or sound. Some people experience deja vu. This type of seizure also may result in involuntary jerking of a body part, such as an arm or a leg. And focal seizures may cause sensory symptoms such as tingling, dizziness and flashing lights.
Temporal lobe seizures
= begin in the areas of the brain called the temporal lobes. The temporal lobes process emotions and play a role in short-term memory. People who have these seizures often experience an aura. The aura may include sudden emotion such as fear or joy. It also may be a sudden taste or smell. Or an aura may be a feeling of deja vu, or a rising sensation in the stomach. During the seizure, patient may lose awareness of their surroundings. They also may stare into space, smack their lips, swallow or chew repeatedly, or have movements of their fingers.
Frontal lobe seizures.
Frontal lobe seizures begin in the front of the brain. This is the part of the brain that controls movement. Frontal lobe seizures cause people to move their heads and eyes to one side. They won't respond when spoken to and may scream or laugh. They might extend one arm and flex the other arm. They also might make repetitive movements such as rocking or bicycle pedaling.
Occipital lobe seizures.
These seizures begin in the area of the brain called the occipital lobe. This lobe affects vision and how people see. People who have this type of seizure may have hallucinations. Or they may lose some or all of their vision during the seizure. These seizures also might cause eye blinking or make the eyes move.
Generalized seizures
Seizures that appear to involve all areas of the brain are called generalized seizures. Generalized seizures include:
Absence seizures.
Absence seizures, typically occur in children. Symptoms include staring into space with or without subtle body movements. Movements may include eye blinking or lip smacking and only last 5 to 10 seconds. These seizures may occur in clusters, happening as often as 100 times a day, and cause a brief loss of awareness.
Tonic seizures.
Tonic seizures cause stiff muscles and may affect consciousness. These seizures usually affect muscles in the back, arms and legs and may cause the person to fall to the ground.
Atonic seizures.
Atonic seizures, also known as drop seizures, cause a loss of muscle control. Since this most often affects the legs, it often causes sudden falls to the ground.
Clonic seizures.
Clonic seizures are associated with repeated or rhythmic jerking muscle movements. These seizures usually affect the neck, face and arms.
Myoclonic seizures.
Myoclonic seizures usually appear as sudden brief jerks or twitches and usually affect the upper body, arms and legs.
Tonic-clonic seizures.
Tonic-clonic seizures, previously known as grand mal seizures, are the most dramatic type of epileptic seizure. They can cause a sudden loss of consciousness and body stiffening, twitching and shaking. They sometimes cause loss of bladder control or biting of the tongue
