Introduction: Pseudoseizures Versus True Seizures Seizure is the physical finding that occurs after abnormal electrical activities in the brain. Patients with seizures could have symptoms like changes in one’s behavior, drooling, frothing at the mouth, irregular eye movement, grunting and snorting, incontinence, extreme changes in mood, shakes, sudden falls, abnormal changes in taste buds, clenching teeth, respiratory arrest, uncontrolled muscle spasms, twitching, and brief blackout follow by period of confusion where they don’t remember anything (Seizures: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia). Seizures also have many underlying etiology such as abnormal sodium or glucose levels in the blood, brain infections, brain injuries, brain tumor, …show more content…
In the present time, the usage of 24-hour EEG video monitoring have proved many past physicians incorrect about their distinction between true and false seizures. EEG/video of pseudoseizures has revealed that urination, injury, and drug responsiveness may be part of nonepileptic episodes as well as epileptic episodes. As a result, EEG/video has become the gold standard for discriminating between epileptic and nonepileptic attack (Bergen, 154-155). Both clinical observation and EEG/video have reveal that long durations of start-stop pattern, direct actions, and situational triggers are more common in pseudoseizures than in true seizures (Bergen, 154-155). In addition true tonic-clonic seizures with combination of postictal oxygen debt, accumulation of saliva, and reduce level of consciousness are often followed by deep respirations and snoring or stertorous respiratory patterns, however, pseudoseizures lack these characteristics (Bergen, 154-155). The eyes remained open in every tonic-clonic and hypermotor seizures, but were closed in almost 90 percent of pseudoseizures (Bergen, 154-155). The result have shown that it is important to be able to differentiate between pseudoseizure and true seizure, but it is also crucial that physicians be able to find the underlying cause of the seizure as well.
Mechanism of hypoglycemia induce seizure
Blood sugar, potassium, sodium, chloride, and other electrolytes fluctuate constantly to
First, avoid injuries keep the patient from falling and prevent any further head injuries until the seizure stops. Second, record what the patient is experiencing. Information will be very important for the patent neurologist. If breathing seems sufficient note the patient's response, apply oxygen and place the patient on his left side to allow any excretion to drain, never place anything in the mouth of the seizing patient.
During this quarter Jose did not experience any serious injuries. He experienced a hospitalization with admitting diagnosis of Acute Seizure (prolonged postictal lethargy and AMS) form 1/20/18 to 1/23/18; during his hospital staying, he consulted with the neurologist whom ordered an EEG that showed abnormal electroencephalogram consistent with independent interictal activity in both hemispheres supporting the diagnosis of chronic epilepsy; Trileptal was discontinued, no changes Keppra, Lamictal or Topamax. Other studies/workup included a CT head w/o contrast that showed chronic ethmoid sinusitis, normal chest x-ray, elevated ammonia levels, and low potassium (corrected). Prior his hospitalization Jose consulted with neurology on 11/21/17 who recommended the initiation of Trileptal, CT head if not done within 2017, and indicated that he may need a VNS if not improvement on refractory seizures. His next neurology follow up will be on 2/21/18.
Seizures are classified into two broad categories primarily generalized and partial seizures. A generalized seizure is characterized by loss of consciousness. There are several sub types of generalized seizure. The first is an absence seizure, this usually consist of brief spells of staring. This type of generalized seizure usually begins in early childhood and diminishes as the child grows older. However, absence seizures may continue until adulthood in some individuals (McKean, 2012). Next, myoclonic seizures are characterized by quick jerking movements. Atonic seizures display a sudden loss of tone and individuals frequently experience injuries related to falls. Generalized tonic clonic seizures display a tonic extension of extremities followed by clonic jerking. There can be variations of this type of seizure activity demonstrating either more tonic motion or clonic (McKean, 2012). Partial seizures initiate when there is an abnormal firing of neurons within the cerebral cortex. This area within the cerebral cortex dictates the symptoms of the seizure activity. A partial seizure can develop into a general seizure if both hemispheres are involved (McKean, 2012). Partial seizures are subdivided into simple and complex. In a complex partial seizure, the individual loses conciseness and has symptoms like lip smacking, staring, picking at clothes, walking around aimlessly. In a simple partial seizure the individual is awake and aware of the episode. The individual may
People uneducated about Epilepsy may have confused thoughts on what it really is. People have these "notions," which are partly or entirely not true. So, throughout this research paper, these notions will be proven untrue, mostly by factual information given by
Seizures occur when abnormal signals from the brain and changes the way the body functions. Many people have seizures but they have different effects on them. Some people have a little shaking of their hands and do not lose consciousness, while others have a lot of shaking and do lose consciousness. While seizures have a range of life changing effects for adults, more needs to be focus on children.
Seizure disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic (2015), affect approximately 1 in 26 people in the United States. Persistent, or chronic, seizures result from a condition called epilepsy, a neurological disorder of the central nervous system. It can affect anyone regardless of age, but is more common during early childhood and after age 60. Given the number of people that seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, affect, it becomes helpful to gain a foundational understanding of the disease, including some of the causes, symptoms, and treatments available.
The seizures more violent, the brain fog never ending. At a loss as to what to do, we decided to take our chances in a bigger hospital; she was taken to the emergency room hoping that a neurologist would be available. Without a wait Keli was taken back to start testing. A doctor, nurses, and yes a neurologist came, she observed Keli, asked a few question then left, she had the results of the tests when she returned. “Keli, your MRI, and EEG are normal, you are experiencing pseudo seizures” Instant relief came to me and gratitude for the “not” answers received, not MS, not a brain tumor, not epilepsy. However, Keli did not experience the same instant relief; she asked “Are you saying that I am making this happen, that I am crazy? The neurologist tried to help Keli understand that her subconscious mind was telling her body an unhealthy way to deal with the stresses of her life. Keli just saw that she was weak, she was embarrassed that so many people who loved her and had been serving her were doing it without a justified reason in her mind. Keli left the hospital not ready for people to know her
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which individuals have recurrent seizures. Seizures can occur in children and adults of any age. There are around 50 million people in the world who has the disorder. Individuals in developing countries are at a higher risk for developing the disorder. Seizures occur due to hyper-excitability and hyper-synchronization of neurons. Action potential transmits messages and it leads to depolarization. When neurons are uncontrollably depolarizes because of hyper-excitability due to too little inhibition, it cause a seizure. Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. As spontaneously they can develop is also as fast and spontaneous they can end.
This study design was an open-label randomized controlled trial. A total of 66 patients enrolled in this study with a mean age of 41 years old that were admitted in the intensive care unit from 2007 to 2010. The mean age was between 40.8 to 41.4 between both groups. Of the 66 participants there were 36 men and 30 women that participated in this study. The seizure etiology included epilepsy related, virus encephalitis, cerebrovascular disease, and other. The duration of seizures varied from under four hours to over 24 hours.
Several people suffer from grand mal seizures but what if you suffered from another seizure and never knew anything was happening, this is called an absence seizure. When a absent seizure occurs the regular electricity of the brain is interrupted. although absent seizures do not look like much when they occur they still can be as dangerous as grand mal seizures. These absent seizures, formerly called petit mal, have impacted my life and I have several gaps of time missing from me. Absence seizures most likely occur at a young age but are often outgrown by 18. With later onset of absence seizures there is a higher chance that they will stay into adulthood. The signs that someone is having a seizure are very subtle and happen only for a few seconds at a time, so the chances of catching one is small.
Seizures occur in the body due to a deviation from normal electrical signaling. There are two different classes of seizures. Generalized “Grand Mal” seizures differ from partial seizures in that they, “constitute 30% of seizures, involve neurons bilaterally, often do not have a local (focal) onset, and usually originate from a subcortical or deeper brain focus” (McCance and Huether, 551). These types of seizures have a wide variety of onsets and affect both brain hemispheres, as opposed to the more fine-tuned, partial (focal) seizures. Partial seizures involve neurons unilaterally, begin in a particular region of the brain (one hemisphere), have a local onset, and can spread throughout the brain. In contrast to generalized seizures, in
The individual may appear to be in a trance and moves randomly with no control over body movements. The individual's activity does not cease during the seizure, but behavior is random and totally unrelated to the individual's surroundings. This form of seizure may be preceded by an aura (a warning sensation characterized by feelings of fear, abdominal discomfort, dizziness, or strange odors and sensations).
Epilepsy Research Paper People most often associate violent twitching, falling to the floor and drooling with epilepsy. However the described event is only one kind of an epileptic seizure, which is called a tonic-clonic seizure. There are many other kinds of seizures, and each has different sets of signs and symptoms. During generalized seizures the whole brain is affected and the initial symptom is loss of consciousness. This category includes such seizures as absence seizure, myoclonic seizure, and atonic attack.
Epilepsy is a condition in which a person has two or more seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. Epilepsy is one of the oldest conditions of the human race. Epilepsy Awareness is important because Epilepsy is a widely misunderstood disorder. The reason that Epilepsy has been misunderstood has been mainly due to research not being conducted until the middle of the nineteenth century. There are six main types of seizures and many treatments that can assist an epileptic patient. Many facts and myths exist about a person who has Epilepsy, which, is why it is an important disorder to understand. A person living with Epilepsy can typically have a normal life after seeking medical advice from doctors.
Electroencephalography (EEG) has a broad use in both medical practices and medical research for diagnosing and identifying epileptic seizures, syncope (fainting), cognitive psychologies, and psychophysiological research (Niedermever, 2004). Commonly used in identifying epilepsy, the EEG helps the doctors to distinguish types of seizures, the reasons to trigger the seizures and also the treatment needed. Types of EEG are different according to test aims, facilities, medical and patients’ situations, and are generally separated into 4 types: Routine EEG, Sleep EEG, Ambulatory EEG and Video EEG. All of the types would record electrical activities of the brain, investigate their potential fluctuations and brain waves, and perform analysis to convert the data into useful information in identifying the seizures. Usually, the EEG test will last for 20 to 40 minutes, and will be conducted by attaching scalp with the electrodes which are connected to an EEG recording machine (NHS, 2017).