Types of Seizures
This type of seizure involves the entire cortex from onset and often results in loss of consciousness.
What is a generalized seizure?
This sleep stage is characterized by alpha wave disappearance and the onset of theta activity.
What is NREM Stage 1?
This noninvasive procedure records electrical activity of the brain using electrodes placed on the scalp, typically following the international 10–20 system for standardized electrode placement.
What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
This drug enhances GABA-A receptor activity & blocks T-type Ca²⁺ channels.
Hint: Side effects may include SJS
What is ethosuximide?
Seizures result from excessive synchronization of these cells in the cerebral cortex.
What are neurons?
These brief lapses in consciousness are common in children and feature a “blank stare” lasting seconds.
What are absence seizures?
Sleep spindles and K-complexes are seen in this stage of NREM sleep.
What is Stage 2 sleep?
Focal spikes or sharp waves localized to one region suggest this seizure classification.
What are focal seizures?
This broad-spectrum antiepileptic blocks T-type Ca²⁺ channels and Na⁺ channels but can cause hepatotoxicity.
Hint: It may also be used to treat Bipolar disorder and is a CYP inhibitor
What is valproic acid?
Absence seizures are driven by abnormal oscillations between this cortical structure and the thalamus.
What are thalamocortical circuits?
This seizure type begins in one hemisphere but can spread to involve both hemispheres.
What is a focal-to-bilateral tonic-clonic seizure?
Delta waves dominate in this deep sleep stage, associated with parasomnias like night terrors.
What is Stage 3 (slow-wave) sleep?
Continuous high-frequency polyspike discharges are often seen in this juvenile seizure type.
What are myoclonic seizures?
This drug acts on voltage-gated sodium channels and can cause diplopia and gingival hyperplasia.
Hint: It is both metabolized by CYP enzymes and induces them
What is phenytoin?
A mutation in the CACNA1H gene affects these ion channels, predisposing to absence epilepsy.
What are T-type calcium channels?
This seizure type involves sudden, brief muscle jerks often occurring shortly after waking.
What is a myoclonic seizure?
REM sleep is associated with this EEG pattern resembling wakefulness.
What are beta waves?
This severe childhood epilepsy shows hypsarrhythmia, a chaotic, high-voltage pattern.
Hint: Oftentimes associated with another AD syndrome due to loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressor genes on chromosomes 9 and 16.
What is West syndrome (infantile spasms)?
This sodium-channel–blocking anti-epileptic is notorious for causing hyponatremia.
Hint: It is also a CYP-inducer, is a treatment for bipolar, and can cause agranulocytosis.
What is carbamazepine?
Loss of function in GABAergic interneurons leads to this type of imbalance contributing to epileptogenesis.
What is increased neuronal excitation or decreased inhibition?
These seizures originate in the temporal lobe and may cause automatisms like lip-smacking or déjà vu sensations.
What are focal impaired-awareness (complex partial) seizures?
This thalamocortical oscillatory mechanism is shared between sleep spindles and absence seizures.
What are T-type calcium channel–mediated thalamic oscillations?
These oscillatory discharges seen in absence seizures mimic rhythmic bursts generated during NREM Stage 2 sleep.
What are 3-Hz spike-and-wave thalamocortical oscillations mediated by T-type calcium channels?
This sodium-channel–blocking anti-epileptic, also used as a mood stabilizer, carries a rare but serious risk of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).
What is lamotrigine?
Mutations in SCN1A, a sodium channel gene, are characteristic of this childhood epilepsy syndrome.
What is Dravet syndrome?