Epilepsy Flash CArds

Is an neurological condition of various etiologies which affects the central nervous system and results in recurrent spontaneous seizures.

High fever, durg and hormone reactions, intense sleep or nutritional deprivation and electroshock therapy

Is a sudden onset, self limiting episode of physical and or psychological dysfunction as a result of an abnormal burse of firing in the central nervous system.

Another word for seizure activity ictal adjective for ictus

An irritable or epileptogenic focus

is a specific location in the brain tissue containing a gliosis, an aneurysm, abnormal chemistry or a tumor which is a site of origin or spontaneous depolarization of which acts as an irritant to nearby structures causing them to fire abnormally. this iniates a depolarization wave that spreads beyond the focal origin The epileptic brain has a number of these foci

An aura is a sensory hallucination

Tinnitus, whirring or gong like sounds, visual hallucinations- flashing lights darkening of the room, paraesthesias specific taste or smell sensations food smells.

It is a stimulus usually sensory which produces activity in the abnormal brain area, and is therefore capable of pushing the neuronal tissue beyond its ictal threshold

These are background facors which can make the epileptic more sensitive to seizure triggers. these includes recent injury, illness reactions newly prescribed drugs altered dosages lack of sleep poor eating habits emotional stress pain syndromes consumption of alcohol etc

Anything that damages deranges or disturbs neuronal function in the brain most are resulto of predominance of excitation but one must remember that some have an absense of seizure birth trauma genetic preposition presence of foci older- strokes, heart failure and cardiac dysrhythmia they adversely affect blood/ nutrient supply to the brain and clearance of toxic elements

Genectic defects difficult birth resulting in the loss of oxygen dietary or metabolic disorders head trauma infections Tumors aneuryms, hemtomas cerebrovascular dises Brain degenerative disease Cardiac arrest liver and kidney disfunction alcohol and drugs childhood high fever allergies hyper glycemia severe schock

Usually occurs in people under the age 18-30 lot of them fall off 30-50 smaller over 50 due to other pathologies

GABA inhibitory neurotransmitter

Tonic clonic type absence type jacksonian type Psychomotor akinetic atonic types Myoclonic type