Researchers found shared reductions in gray matter across different types of epilepsy. They also observed structural changes that were specific to certain types of epilepsy. An example of this is the reduced volume of the hippocampus , the area associated with memory, in people with temporal lobe epilepsy. A meta-analysis assessed 42 articles on temporal lobe epilepsy that was resistant to treatment with antiseizure medications.
The researchers found that:. A study in rats looked at how seizure-like activity impacted memory consolidation. Memory function can be affected in some types of epilepsy, including temporal lobe epilepsy. Memory consolidation normally happens during sleep and involves small ripples of activity in the hippocampus, the area of the brain concerned with memory.
These ripples can be followed by activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in higher-level cognitive functions.
In people with temporal lobe epilepsy, short bursts of electrical activity called IEDs can happen between seizures. The researchers wanted to see if these abnormal bursts of electrical activity impacted memory in rats. They found that:. The researchers believe that IEDs can disrupt normal signaling for memory consolidation. In short, IEDs from the hippocampus may impact how the prefrontal cortex responds to signaling from this area, potentially affecting memory.
A study used a modeling program to estimate brain age in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy and healthy individuals. Some notable points from this study are:. In summary, researchers found that modeling showed that the brains of people with temporal lobe epilepsy were both structurally and functionally older than their actual chronological age.
However, the researchers note that the exact cause of this observation remains unknown. Future studies are needed to investigate this. A seizure happens when neurons in the brain send many signals all at once. Most seizures do not last very long. Some may have no noticeable symptoms, while others can lead to loss of consciousness or uncontrolled muscle twitching.
Epilepsy is when an individual has recurring, unprovoked seizures. After reviewing your medical history and performing a physical examination, your doctor can use several tests to diagnose epilepsy. Epilepsy is most commonly treated with medications that can prevent seizures.
Other potential treatment options include surgery, vagus nerve stimulation , and changes in diet. Epileptic seizures are typically related to two main causes: brain injury, or genetic inheritance. In many cases, the cause is entirely unknown. Many patients who have epilepsy may also have more than one type of seizure. The relationship between seizures and brain damage can be cyclical.
On the one hand, seizures can lead to brain injury; on the other hand, a brain injury can result in seizures later on. Scientific evidence and research have long shown that prolonged seizures can kill brain cells and cause other damage. More recent research also suggests that smaller, recurring seizures can also contribute to nerve cell injury within the brain. Seizure-induced brain damage can be highly dependent on the age and developmental stage of the patient.
Adult and juvenile brains are more susceptible to damage after seizures than are the brains of newborns and infants. Again, the damage and changes in brain functioning depend highly on the type of seizure or epilepsy involved. As for the other side of the coin, seizures can often appear after or as a result of traumatic brain injury.
In this regard, a person can experience :. Additionally, the type of brain injury can often dictate the likelihood that the victim will experience a post-traumatic seizure. Consider the following statistics:. To summarize, prolonged seizures can result in brain damage, while recurring seizures can also have adverse effects on brain functioning. Not being able to speak or understand others.
New outbursts of anger or tearfulness. Some conditions that may increase the risk of having a seizure include: High fever. Loss of sleep and extreme fatigue. Drug and alcohol use. Chemical changes in the body such as low sodium or magnesium, or high calcium. This is called epilepsy. A seizure that occurs more than 1 week after a TBI is called a late posttraumatic seizure. Half of all people who develop epilepsy will continue to have seizures throughout their lives, but they can usually be managed with medications.
Medications to treat seizures Medicines used to control seizures are called antiepileptic drugs AEDs. Some common side effects of AEDs are: Sleepiness or fatigue. Worsening of balance.
Lightheadedness or dizziness. Double vision. Carbamazepine also known as Tegretol. Lamotrigine also known as Lamictal. Levitiracetam also known as Keppra. Gabapentin also known as Neurontin. Oxcarbazepine also known as Trileptal.
Pregabalain also known as Lyrica. Topiramate also known as Topamax. Valproic acid or valproate also known as Depakene or Depakote. Zonisamide also known as Zonegran.
What if the medications do not work? If you are still having seizures, you should take certain steps to stay safe. Talk to your doctor about your seizure risk based on your type of injury, your medical status and how long it has been since your injury. People with seizures should not drink alcohol or use marijuana because this will increase your risk for another seizure. However, the evidence also indicates that this is not true for all forms of epilepsy.
We also do not yet know the consequences of these effects for thinking, memory, mood, and other aspects of daily life. As was true before this conference, people with epilepsy are well advised to work with their doctors to achieve the best possible seizure control. Epilepsy researchers from around the world gathered in Rovaniemi, Finland, at the edge of the Arctic Circle, in June for a workshop aimed at addressing the question: "Do seizures damage the brain?
Virtanen institute of Kuopio, Finland. Over 35 scientists from eight countries attended. Among them were specialists in both clinical and laboratory epilepsy research, as well as basic neuroscience.
Presentations from the meeting were published in book form in See details at end of this report. This workshop was aimed at discussing the question of whether isolated, brief seizures damage the brain. Although scientists and clinicians have long known that prolonged seizures, a condition referred to as "status epilepticus," kill brain cells, surprisingly little scientific evidence exists to support the notion that individual seizures do damage.
This is not to say that individual seizures cause no harm to the brain, but proof of such damage is difficult to obtain for a number of reasons:. However, scientific data are slowly accumulating to suggest that recurring seizures may contribute to nerve cell injury in the brain, and this may be associated with declines in cognitive function and quality of life.
Animal models of epilepsy On the first day, investigators discussed experimental studies using animal models of epilepsy, typically laboratory rodents rats and mice in which seizures are induced and subsequent changes in the brain are measured. One way to assess whether seizures cause damage is to see if epileptic animals have fewer nerve cells in specific brain areas. Researchers count the cells using sophisticated computerized statistical analyses, a technique known as unbiased stereology.
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