Seizures: Inside the Mind

Imagine you are watching your favorite show and you suddenly feel a tingling sensation or a slight headache. Before you even know it, you may begin shaking or lose consciousness. When you wake up, you feel tired, sore, and confused. What you just experienced is called a seizure. 

Epilepsy, also known as the seizure disorder, affects almost 1.2% of people in the United States. A seizure is provoked by a sudden change in the electrical activity of your brain. Depending on the severity of the seizure, people who experience them can go through a variety of symptoms. However, a single seizure does not automatically mean an individual has epilepsy. Epilepsy can only be diagnosed if someone has at least two unprovoked seizures less than 24 hours apart. 

There are 2 main types of seizures: focal & generalized seizures. A focal seizure is also called a partial seizure and only occurs in one part of the brain. Since only one region is affected, an individual may stay conscious or have a slight change in their consciousness. However, a generalized seizure involves both sides of the brain and most likely always causes the loss of consciousness. While people experiencing focal seizures may be aware of sensations during the seizure, people who experience generalized seizures are unable to feel sensations during it. 

Experiencing Focal & Generalized Seizures:

In a focal seizure, an individual’s sensations depend on the part of the brain that is involved with the seizure and if they lose consciousness or not. Symptoms during a focal aware seizure include a general “strange” feeling, stiffness and twitching, deja vu, tingling in limbs, stomach sensations, and extreme emotions. However, during a focal impaired awareness seizure, the individual loses consciousness. Before this type of seizure, studies show that the individual may experience what is called aura - an unusual sensation or feeling. Focal seizures can occur in any lobe of the brain: frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal. In a generalized seizure, the individual doesn’t feel anything during the actual seizure, only the after effects of exhaustion and soreness. 

The Brain 

During normal brain activity, neurons can communicate through electrical impulses in a controlled manner. During seizure activity, a large group of neurons become abnormally overactive and fire rapidly out of control. This is referred to as an “electrical storm” and disrupts the normal brain function which causes the symptoms an individual experiences during seizures. The exact cause of seizures is still unknown to this day, but there are several factors that play into seizure risks and why they may occur:

Brain injuries like trama, stroke or tumors often damage tissue. A genetic predisposition (when someone inherits a gene) can increase the risk of developing epilepsy. Abnormalities at birth or problems during the brain development of a baby may play into account as well. Lastly, certain infections can trigger seizures if they affect the brain. 

Dravet Syndrome

Dravet syndrome is a developmental elliptic disorder that begins in infancy and proceeds with accumulating morbidity as an individual grows. It is an extremely rare disease that is much more than just seizures. Previously known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy, Dravet Syndrome, usually begins during the first 2-15 months. It appears in the presence of a fever or warm temperature. As the individual ages, the seizure types evolve as well. Besides seizures, other issues consist of orthopedic conditions, delayed speech, sensory integration, growth and nutrition issues, movement and balance difficulty, and developmental delays. The treatment option for Dravet Syndrome is extremely limited, and constant care is required from someone who has it. 

Treatment & Medication

Treatment for seizures depends on a variety of factors such as type, frequency, severity, and underlying cause. Underlying cause is extremely important as if the condition that causes it is identified, it may help control the seizure. Anti-Seizure Medication (AED) is the most common treatment for epilepsy and seizures, and works by regulating abnormal brain activity. There are several different types of these medications available such as carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and valproic acid. Another treatment is seizure surgery. This is often considered for individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy and involves removing the part of the brain that causes seizures. If the part of the brain that is affected is a speech or language area such as Broca’s or Wernicke’s area, some highly advanced hospitals place a chip inside the brain that attempts to identify seizures and stop them from occurring. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is another treatment that occurs when a device is implanted inside an individual’s chest to stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps control seizures. Other therapies such as physical, occupational, counseling, or even diets such as the Ketogenic Diet help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life with seizures.

Sources:

What Does a Seizure Feel Like, by Types of Seizure? (healthline.com) 

Epilepsy - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

What is Dravet syndrome - Dravet Syndrome Foundation (dravetfoundation.org)

Article Written By: Keira Crasta