โรคลมชัก (epilepsy)

Epilepsy

Pongsakorn Tanayapong, M.D. Neurologist, Vibhavadi Hospital

Epilepsy is a prevalent disorder of the central nervous system. It is caused by an unexpected and simultaneous surge of electrical activity that passes through different portions of the brain. This can cause seizures in various forms, such as convulsions or confusion, among others. If a person has more than one seizure without a clear cause, they are considered to have epilepsy.

Seizures can be divided into two categories: generalized seizures which affect the entire brain, and partial seizures which affect only a single area of the brain.

Generalized Seizures, commonly referred to as epileptic, are seizures that affect all parts of the brain and can manifest without warning. The most common type of generalized seizure is a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, during which the patient will experience spasticity and rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscles. After a seizure, the patient will often experience postictal symptoms such as confusion and headache before returning to normal. In addition to generalized seizures, there are other types of seizures that can be caused by malfunction of all parts of the brain, such as absence seizures.

Partial Seizures are seizures that affect only a portion of the brain. The effects of the seizure vary depending on which brain area is affected, and these seizures can be divided into two categories based on the patient's level of consciousness: Simple Partial Seizures and Complex Partial Seizures. If the patient is alert during the seizure, it is classified as a Simple Partial Seizure. Depending on which area of the brain is affected, symptoms can include convulsions, flashes of light, or numbness in the face or body.

If a patient experiences Complex Partial Seizures, which involve changes in perception and automatisms such as grabbing clothing or objects, muttering, or repetitive chewing, they may have little to no recollection of the event during the seizure. Partial Seizures, which affect only one part of the brain, can spread to affect all parts of the brain, at which point they become known as Secondarily Generalized Seizures. If the symptoms progress quickly, the patient may not be aware that they have had a Partial Seizure, making information from people close to the patient very useful in determining what occurred during the seizure. Especially with generalized seizures or complex partial seizures, the patient may not remember the events that have happened.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Causes of Epilepsy