Epilepsy Symptoms

Let’s Learn About Epilepsy

What is Epilepsy? • Epilepsy is a disruption of the normal electrical activity of the brain that results in seizures. Under certain circumstances anyone can have a seizure.

• • Seizures occur when the brain's electrical signals misfire and a person's consciousness or actions are altered for a short period of time. When the electrical signals return to normal, usually within a few seconds or a few minutes, the seizure stops.

• • Seizures usually occurs without warning and without the person's awareness of what is happening. Some people with epilepsy will have only an occasional seizure, while others will have many on a daily basis. Source: http://endoflifecare.tripod.com/juvenilehuntingtonsdisease/id43.html

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All seizures are not Epilepsy • A seizure is a symptom of epilepsy. Having a single seizure does not necessarily mean a person has epilepsy.

• • A number of factors, including high fever, severe head injury and lack of oxygen, can affect the brain enough to cause a single seizure.

• • Epilepsy, on the other hand, is an underlying condition that affects the delicate systems that govern how electrical energy behaves in the brain, making the brain susceptible to recurring seizures. While any seizure is cause for concern, having a seizure does not by itself mean a person has epilepsy.

• • First seizures, febrile seizures, non-epileptic events, and Source: http://neurology.health-cares.net/epilepsy-seizures-difference.php eclampsia are examples of seizures that may not be 3 associated with epilepsy.

Facts about Epilepsy •

Epilepsy affects 2.7 million Americans, more Americans than cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease combined. Approximately 200,000 new cases of epilepsy occur each year. Everyone's brain has the ability to produce a seizure under the right conditions. Epilepsy can develop at any age. However, it is diagnosed most often before the age of 20 and after the age of 60. With the appropriate treatment, up to 70% of people with epilepsy could be seizure free. Only a few percent of people with epilepsy are affected by flashing lights– this is called photosensitivity. The Greek philosopher Hippocrates (460-377 BC) was the first person to recognize that epilepsy starts in the brain. Ten percent of the American population will experience a seizure at least once in their lifetime. 1 person in 20 will have a seizure at some time in their life

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Source: http://www.epilepsynse.org.uk/PAGES/info/leaflets/epfacts.cfm

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Classification of Seizures Seizure Classification Partial

Generalized

seizure activity starts in one area of the brain

seizure involves whole brain & consciousness is affected

Simple

Complex

Retains awareness

Altered awareness and behavior

Secondary generalization

(spreading from one area to the whole brain)

Tonic Clonic “grand-mal” or convulsion Loss of consciousness, stiffening of body then jerking of limbs

Absence “petit mal” or starting fit or trance like state

Source: http://www.epilepsy.org.au/fact_sheets/seizure%20Classsification.pdf

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Tonic or Atonic ‘drop attack” Abrupt fall, either with stiffening (tonic) or with loss of muscle tone (atonic or “astatic” attacks)

Myoclonic Sudden muscle jerks

Prevalence of seizure types Generalized tonic clonic, 23%

Simple Partial, 14%

Other generalized, 8%

Partial unknown, 7%

Absence, 6% Complex Partial, 36%

Myoclonic, 3% Unclassified, 3%

Source: www.med.uc.edu/neurology/epilepsyinfo.htm

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Types of Epilepsy Partial epilepsies

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These are epilepsies with a clearly defined focal area within the brain. As a result, they have characteristic symptoms, such as visual hallucinations, or motor difficulties on one side of the body. Types of Partial epilepsy •Benign occipital epilepsy •Benign rolandic epilepsy •Frontal lobe epilepsy •Occipital lobe epilepsy •Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy •Parietal lobe epilepsy

Source: http://www.mynchen.demon.co.uk/epilepsy/Types/Types%20of_epilepsy.htm

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Generalized idiopathic epilepsies

Generalized epilepsies are those which have no defined focal area within the brain. Idiopathic is a medical term meaning that there is no clear environmental cause for the epilepsy and it is presumed that genetic factors predominate. Types of Generalized idiopathic epilepsy •Benign myoclonic epilepsy in infants •Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy •Childhood absence epilepsy •Juvenile absence epilepsy

Types of Epilepsy ( continued) 3 Generalized symptomatic epilepsies

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Unclassified epilepsies

Generalized epilepsies are those which have

Unclassified epilepsies is the grouping for

no defined focal area within the brain; as a

epilepsies which do not fit the classification.

result they have generalized symptoms as the whole brain becomes affected. Types of Unclassified epilepsy Types of Generalized symptomatic epilepsy •West syndrome •Lennox-Gastaut syndrome •Progressive myoclonus epilepsies

•Febrile seizures •Epilepsy with continuous spike and waves in slow wave sleep (ESES) •Landau Kleffner syndrome •Rasmussen's syndrome

Source: http://www.mynchen.demon.co.uk/epilepsy/Types/Types%20of_epilepsy.htm

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Causes of seizures •Heredity - the risk of getting epilepsy is 2.5 times greater with a family history of seizures than when no family member has had the disorder

Vascular, 10%

•Head trauma - the more severe the injury, the greater the risk of developing epilepsy

Trauma, 6%

•Brain tumor and stroke •Poisoning - such as lead poisoning. More than 5,000 people annually suffer seizures caused by alcoholism. •Infections - such as meningitis, viral encephalitis, mumps, measles and diphtheria •Maternal injury - such as infection or systemic illness affecting the fetus' developing brain during pregnancy

Source: www.med.uc.edu/neurology/epilepsyinfo.htm

http://www.epilepsysandiego.org/aboutep.htm 9

Congenital, 8%

Tumor, 4% Degenerative, 4% Unknown, 65%

Infection, 3%

Possible seizure triggers

Stress

Alcohol

Unhealthy nutrition

Skipping meals

Lack of sleep, exhaustion

Irregular medication

Flickering lights

Illness and allergies

Source: http://www.pfizer.be/English/What_we_do/Health_info/epilepsy.htm

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Symptoms of Epilepsy

nvulsion with orBlackout without or a fever confused Suddenmemory fear, anger for no reason Blank staring Sudden Muscle stiffening jerks of arms, legs or b

Conditions that may be mistaken for epilepsy •Seizures associated with high fever •Fainting •Sleep disorders: nightmares, narcolepsy, cataplexy •Psychiatric disorders: panic attacks, fugue states, psychogenic seizures •Migraine headaches •Childhood breath-holding episodes

Source: http://www.umm.edu/nervous/epilepsy.htm

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Prognosis • Certain types of childhood epilepsy resolve or improve with age.

• • A seizure-free period of 4 years may indicate that reduction or elimination of medications is possible.

• • Death or permanent brain damage from seizures is rare, but can occur if the seizure is prolonged.

• • Death or brain damage are most often caused by prolonged lack of breathing and resultant death of brain tissue from lack of oxygen.

• • Infrequent seizures may not severely restrict the person's lifestyle. Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000694.htm#Expectations%20(prognosis)

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Thank You

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