Forms of seizures
The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classified the various seizure patterns and epilepsies. Therapy is then carried out according to this classification. A characteristic feature of focal seizures is that they originate from a very specific area of the brain.
This location can be, for example, a brain scar resulting from a trauma. Since the location of the seizure can often be determined exactly by imaging, such as MRI or CT, it is often described as a focal seizure. There are also focal seizures that spread throughout the brain.
These are divided into a separate category, that of secondary generalized seizures. The third classification is the generalized seizures, which spread to the entire brain from the beginning. A reason for this type of epilepsy is rarely found.
Most of the time, people also suffer from a loss of consciousness. ILAE additionally divided the seizure patterns into subgroups. The most important ones are listed here once again:In focal seizures, a distinction is made between complex and simple seizures.
The big difference here is that the simple-focal seizure occurs when the patient is fully conscious and people often have an aura. In complex focal seizures, consciousness is mostly clouded and people are often unresponsive, wander around aimlessly, smack or make faces. In generalized seizures there are several subgroups: Absences: This describes a short pause in consciousness.
The affected persons are typically frozen, unresponsive and completely absent. Usually the absence lasts only a few seconds to a maximum of half a minute. Afterwards, the affected persons simply continue with their activities as if nothing had happened.
This type of seizure is often seen in school children. Myoclonic seizures: when fully conscious, individual muscles or muscle groups in the foot, leg or trunk, for example, suddenly twitch. They last only a few seconds and end abruptly.
Tonic seizures: they are usually only brief events. They are abrupt muscle cramps without a rhythmic twitch. In addition, there is a clouding of consciousness and falls.
Clonic seizures: the seizures lasting up to several minutes are a rhythmic contraction of muscle groups. People often fall and can injure themselves. Tonic-clonic seizures: also known as grand mal seizures.
They are often preceded by an aura, which is terminated by an acute loss of consciousness. Usually there is a so-called initial cry at the beginning of the tonic-clonic seizure and falls. At first the grand mal begins with a half-minute cramping of the whole body, which is alternated by a rhythmic twitching for the same length of time.
During the seizure, the affected person often wets himself, bites his tongue on the side or forms foam in front of his mouth. After such a grand mal, people often sleep because they are still very dazed. When waking up, most are completely disoriented and confused.
The person cannot actually remember the seizure.
- Absence: This describes a short pause in consciousness. The affected persons are typically as if they were frozen, unresponsive and completely absent.
Usually the absence lasts only a few seconds to a maximum of half a minute. Afterwards, the affected persons simply continue with their activities as if nothing had happened. This type of seizure is often seen in school children.
- Myoclonic seizures: when fully conscious, individual muscles or muscle groups in the foot, leg or trunk, for example, suddenly twitch.
They last only a few seconds and end abruptly.
- Tonic seizures: they are usually only short events. They are abrupt muscle cramps without a rhythmic twitch. In addition, there is a clouding of consciousness and falls.
- Clonic seizures: the seizures that last up to several minutes are a rhythmic contraction of muscle groups.
People often fall and can injure themselves as a result.
- Tonic-clonic seizures: also called grand mal seizures. It is often preceded by an aura, which is terminated by an acute loss of consciousness. Usually there is a so-called initial cry at the beginning of the tonic-clonic seizure and falls.
At first the grand mal begins with a half-minute cramping of the whole body, which is alternated by a rhythmic twitching for the same length of time. During the seizure, the affected person often wets himself, bites his tongue on the side or forms foam in front of his mouth.After such a grand mal, people often sleep because they are still very dazed. When waking up, most are completely disoriented and confused. The person can actually not remember the seizure.
