Female: The word seizure is a general term used to describe the medical condition in which too may brain cells become excited simultaneously.
Male: There are so many kinds of seizures that neurologists are still updating how to classify them. Usually they classify seizures into two main types, Partial Seizures and Primarily-Generalized Seizures. The difference between these types is in how they begin. Primarily generalized seizures begin with a widespread electrical discharge that involves both sides of the brain at once.
On the other hand, partial seizures begin with electrical discharge in one limited area of the brain. All generalized seizures begin with synchronous electrical activity throughout the brain accompanied by sudden generalized movements or loss of consciousness. However, there are still many different types of generalized seizures. A tonic-clonic seizure one called a gran mal is what most people think of when they hear the word seizure. When somebody experiences a tonic-clonic seizure first, is they definitely loss consciousness which is the tonic phase then they begin jerking. And this lasts for several minutes called the clonic phase.
Sometimes seizures do not have a tonic stiffening and a clonic jerking sequence but are just tonic seizures or clonic seizures. Other types of generalized seizures include absent seizures when the suffer disconnects from the world for a few seconds and might clonic seizures which caused jerking but just for a second or two.
Partial seizures, which begin in the single part of the brain, are further described by two important additional criteria. The first is whether awareness, memory and consciousness are preserved during the seizure. If they all are preserved then the seizure is called simple partial. However if any are impaired then the seizure is called complex partial. The impact of a partial seizure depends on where in the brain it originates and how it spreads. Partial seizures have an ORA, which is a warning that bigger seizures may follow. An ORA usually occurs seconds to minutes before a seizure but some patients can have periods of warning lasting a day or longer. There are many different ways in which people experience an ORA. The start of a seizure in one of the temporal lobes can produce unusual feelings, the abnormal sensations or forced thinking.
The onset of a complex partial seizure maybe heralded by Déjà Vu a familiar feeling or Jame Vu or an unfamiliar feeling. Some patients have erosive sounds, tastes, distorted vision, raising thoughts or smells like burning rubber. Physical sensations that can occur as auras include dizziness, headache, and light-headedness. And upset stomach is a particularly common physical symptom. Auras can include a sense of tingling, rising up of the body or other strange feelings that are difficult to describe. Distorted emotions like fear or panic can also be a seizure warning. However, some complex partial seizures occur without any remembered warning. Understanding the different types of seizures can be helpful but many people want information that is more detailed.
The next two videos in these series provide an in-depth look at the affective partial seizures on different parts of the brain and the different types of generalized seizures. If you or anyone you know may have seizures, please make sure that they see a physician.
Female: The movies and series can be viewed in any order. If you wish to watch these clips in their original sequence the next video is understanding partial seizures.
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