Seizure

Aging is a multifaceted and highly varied process in the brain. Identifying aging biomarkers is one means of distinguishing pathological from physiological aging. The aim of this narrative review is to focus on two new developments in the field of fluid biomarkers and draw attention to this excellent tool for the early detection of potential brain pathologies that delay, alter, or enable physiological aging to become pathological. Pathological aging can lower the threshold for the development of specific diseases such ...

Functional dissociative seizures (FDS), formerly psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), are sudden and involuntary episodes involving changes in motor and sensory activity, cognitive processing, behavior, and autonomic function. Even though they may resemble epileptic seizures (ES), there are no epileptogenic discharges in the EEG of patients with FDS [1–4]. Currently, the process of diagnosing FDS is evolving from the exclusion of epilepsy to the recognition of typical clinical features [5].

Non-epileptic seizures (NES) are events that resemble seizures which are not attributable to electrical disturbances in the brain [34]. NES can be referred to by multiple other names, including psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, functional neurological disorder and dissociative seizures [49]. It is estimated that between 2 and 33 people out of 100,000 experience NES, and that 20% of people referred to specialist services with epilepsy have NES [3,31]. NES are also associated with inappropriate administration of anti-convulsant medication, invasive procedures and ...

Seizures and epilepsy are a common clinical manifestation of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE; [1,2]) especially autoimmune limbic encephalitis (ALE; [3,4]), predominantly affecting mesial temporal structures such as the amygdala and the anterior part of the hippocampus.

Functional / dissociative seizures (FDS), also known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD), are one of the most prevalent types of functional neurological disorder (FND) [63]. FDS are episodes that behaviourally resemble epileptic seizures or syncope [59,62]. They can be conceptualised as an involuntary response to internal or external triggers associated with dysfunctional emotion regulation [17]. FDS are a common condition and account for approximately 15% of patients referred to neurology clinics with seizure-like events [3].

Electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES) is characterized by an abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern of nearly continuous epileptiform activity during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep [1,2]. Patients presenting with EEG abnormalities in association with cognitive and/or behavioral regression has been defined as having developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathy with spike-and-wave activation in sleep (DEE/EE-SWAS) [1]. DEE-SWAS and EE-SWAS are usually limited to childhood and account for approximately 0.5–0.6% of childhood epilepsy cases in tertiary care centers [1].

Epileptic Encephalopathy/developmental epileptic encephalopathy with Spike-and-Wave Activation in Sleep (EE/DEE-SWAS) is a childhood epilepsy syndrome characterized by neurocognitive, behavioral and motor regression following the appearance of continuous spike-and-wave on EEG during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep(1). DEE-SWAS is seen in patients with pre-existing neurodevelopmental disorders, while patients with EE-SWAS have normal development preceding the onset of SWAS [1]. Clinical seizures often develop 1-2 years earlier and become more frequent and severe with the manifestation of SWAS on EEG.

Functional seizures (FS), also known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures or PNES, are a type of functional neurological disorder characterized by seizure-like symptoms without associated epileptiform activity.[1] Pediatric FS account for approximately 10%-20% of patients presenting to outpatient neurology clinics in the United States,[2], [3] making it one of the most common diagnoses among those referred.[4] Pediatric FS are severely debilitating for patients and their families and are associated with significantly decreased quality of life.[5], [6] For example, children and adolescents ...

Adolescence is defined as the phase of life between childhood and adulthood (ages 10-19 years) and is important for establishing healthy behaviours for future well-being and health [1]. Annually, around 1.1 million young people with epilepsy (YPE) take the step into adulthood [2]. During adolescence, the consequences of epilepsy on daily life can become more pronounced; epilepsy often interferes with autonomy, social life, educational and career decisions, driving ability, and reproductive health [3].

Data from international studies suggest epilepsy prevalence in people with Intellectual Disability (PwID) is around 22.2% [1] and significantly higher than estimations of 0.8% for the general worldwide population. [2]. UK data shows similar distributions, with 17.9% of PwID having an NHS epilepsy diagnosis, compared to 0.6% of those with no ID. [3] Prevalence increases with severity, with 7.3%-9.8% of people with mild ID and 27%-41.6% with moderate to profound ID diagnosed with epilepsy. [1]