brain seizures

brain seizures






  
Convulsions
Definition of convulsion
Causes
Symptoms
Warning signals
Definition of convulsion

Often unpredictable, the convulsions consist of a series of involuntary movements, sudden and uncontrolled, of the voluntary musculature, responsible for agitation and spasms of the body. During a seizure, the muscles of the victim contract and relax repeatedly, for a variable period of time depending on the severity of the condition.
More than a disease, convulsions are a rather common symptom in the newborn and in the child, where they often occur in conjunction with fever and viral diseases. Convulsive seizures can also be induced by transient or permanent metabolic conditions - such as hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia (total calcemia <9ml / dL), hyponatraemia (<135mmol / L) and pyridoxino-addiction * - or by further more or less serious pathologies. In conditions of severity, seizures are an expression of ongoing brain suffering.

* pyridoxino-dependent convulsions: an autosomal dominant genetically transmitted disease. The onset often coincides with the neonatal age: the child shows multifocal clonic seizures, while developing a certain resistance to antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs. The disease can degenerate to induce epileptic encephalopathy associated with impaired mental and motor development.

Let's not forget that the more immediate side effect of some drugs (eg neuroleptics) can induce serious convulsions.
Clinically, a convulsion can manifest itself in many different ways; however, in the vast majority of cases, seizures occur in general form.
Convulsions are typical but not exclusive of epilepsy: this means that epileptic seizures are always associated with convulsions, but these can be a secondary symptom of other primary pathologies.
Causes

What is certain and undisputed is that the convulsions are triggered by a sudden disorganization of the electrical activity of the brain. In particular, the seizure crisis is an expression of an abnormal and rapid hypersynchronous * depolarization of a group of neurons.

Hypersynchronous activity *: a group of neurons favors simultaneous electrical discharges which, read by the encephalogram, form slow and high waves

Going back to the cause that has disturbed the brain's electrical activity, triggering the seizure crisis, is instead more difficult. In fact, as mentioned, convulsions are a "simple" symptom of numerous diseases; this makes it difficult to immediately recognize the etiological factor that has taken place at its origins.
Below is a list of possible causes of seizures: as you can see, the predisposing pathologies are very numerous.

    Alcoholism
    Taking drugs (drug addiction) and some drugs (neuroleptics)
    Alcohol addiction (in an alcoholic)
    Poisoning
    Extreme race
    Brain damage that appears in the child during labor or delivery
    Congenital brain defects
    Epilepsy
    Eclampsia
    High fever (predisposing factor typical of young children) → febrile convulsions
    Phenylketonuria (can induce convulsions in the child)
    Viral infections
    Hepatic insufficiency
    Kidney failure
    Malignant hypertension (extremely high blood pressure)
    Hypoglycemia and other metabolic disorders
    Head injury
    Heart diseases
    Meningitis
    Bites and snake bites
    Electric shock
    Bechet syndrome
    Pregnancy toxemia (presence of substances in concentrations toxic to the body in the blood)
    Brain trauma
    Brain tumor (rare)
    Uremia (from renal failure)

Genetic predisposition also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of seizures. Although there is no certainty about the mode of genetic transmission, an autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive or multifactorial mechanism is presumed.
The convulsions that occur during the neonatal age can be epileptic or non-epileptic: in these circumstances, the differential diagnosis is fundamental.
Symptoms


The specific symptoms of convulsions are heavily conditioned by the underlying cause. Furthermore, the severity and intensity of the prodromes depend on the cerebral site involved.
The characteristic symptoms of seizures occur suddenly, often without warning:

    agitation of the involuntary body
    alteration of mood (irritability, fear, anxiety, joy) → generally before the convulsive crisis
    burrs / foam to the mouth
    bruxism (thus stiffening of the mandibular muscles)
    cyanosis
    contractions and joint spasms
    difficulty breathing
    ear pain
    uncontrolled eye movements
    eyes wide open
    gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting and diarrhea)
    swoon
    temporary suspension of respiratory capacity

In high convulsions, the patient loses consciousness, falls to the ground, often losing control of the anal and bladder sphincter.
Warning signals

It is not rare that, before the seizure, some so-called "warning" signals are perceived: the organism sends general symptoms to alert the patient of the imminent convulsion. Anxiety, associated with nausea, dizziness and visual symptoms (flashing lights and spots in front of the eyes) are very common signs in the patient suffering from frequent seizures.
Symptoms may last for a few seconds or continue for 15 or 30 minutes: when the duration of seizures is considerable, the patient is likely to be affected by epilepsy. The convulsions that persevere over 5-10 minutes tend to last for a long time: clearly, the longer the duration of the crisis, the greater the probability of complications.
Convulsive seizures may occur within a well-defined clinical context of encephalopathy (eg, hyperexcitability, hypotonia, coma, neurologic neurological abnormalities in general) or they may reveal isolated convulsive episodes