Generalised epilepsy
Encyclopedia
Generalised epilepsy, also known as primary generalised epilepsy or idiopathic epilepsy, is a form of epilepsy
characterised by generalised seizures with no apparent cause. Generalised seizures, as opposed to partial seizures
, are a type of seizure
that impairs consciousness and distorts the electrical activity of the whole or a larger portion of the brain (which can be seen, for example, on electroencephalography
, EEG).
Generalised epilepsy is primary because the epilepsy is the originally diagnosed condition itself, as opposed to secondary epilepsy, which occurs as a symptom of a known as diagnosed condition.
Generalised seizures occur in various seizure syndromes, including myoclonic epilepsy
, familial neonatal convulsions, childhood absence epilepsy
, absence epilepsy, infantile spasms (West's syndrome), Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
characterised by generalised seizures with no apparent cause. Generalised seizures, as opposed to partial seizures
Focal seizures
Partial seizures are seizures which affect only a part of the brain at onset. The brain is divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four lobes - the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes...
, are a type of seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
that impairs consciousness and distorts the electrical activity of the whole or a larger portion of the brain (which can be seen, for example, on electroencephalography
Electroencephalography
Electroencephalography is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. EEG measures voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain...
, EEG).
Generalised epilepsy is primary because the epilepsy is the originally diagnosed condition itself, as opposed to secondary epilepsy, which occurs as a symptom of a known as diagnosed condition.
Manifestation
Generalised seizures can be either absence seizures, myoclonic seizures, clonic seizures, tonic-clonic seizures or atonic seizures.Generalised seizures occur in various seizure syndromes, including myoclonic epilepsy
Myoclonic epilepsy
Myoclonic epilepsy refers to a family of epilepsies which present with myoclonus.They are divided into two main families:* progressive myoclonic epilepsy* juvenile myoclonic epilepsy...
, familial neonatal convulsions, childhood absence epilepsy
Childhood absence epilepsy
Childhood absence epilepsy , also known as pyknolepsy, is an idiopathic generalized epilepsy which occurs in otherwise normal children. The age of onset is between 4–10 years with peak age between 5–7 years. Children have absence seizures which although brief , they occur frequently, sometimes in...
, absence epilepsy, infantile spasms (West's syndrome), Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy is a type of epilepsy usually obtained in early childhood and adolescence. This type of epilepsy is characterized by twitching and jerking of the muscles normally in the early morning right after awakening, as well as tonic-clonic seizures...
and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
Lennox–Gastaut syndrome , also known as Lennox syndrome, is a difficult-to-treat form of childhood-onset epilepsy that most often appears between the second and sixth year of life, and is characterized by frequent seizures and different seizure types; it is often accompanied by developmental delay...
.
Prognosis
Most generalised epilepsy starts during childhood. While some patients outgrow their epilepsy during adolescence and no longer need medication, in others, the condition remains for life, thereby requiring lifelong medication and monitoring.Treatment
Treatments used for generalised epilepsy include various forms of medication. Medications used include:- CarbamazepineCarbamazepineCarbamazepine is an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, as well as trigeminal neuralgia...
- OxcarbazepineOxcarbazepineOxcarbazepine is a anticholinergic anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug, used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy. It is also used to treat anxiety and mood disorders, and benign motor tics...
- LamotrigineLamotrigineLamotrigine, marketed in the US and most of Europe as Lamictal by GlaxoSmithKline, is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used as an adjunct in treating depression, though this is considered off-label usage...
- Levetiracetam
- PhenytoinPhenytoinPhenytoin sodium is a commonly used antiepileptic. Phenytoin acts to suppress the abnormal brain activity seen in seizure by reducing electrical conductance among brain cells by stabilizing the inactive state of voltage-gated sodium channels...
- TopiramateTopiramateTopiramate is an anticonvulsant drug. It was originally produced by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics and Noramco, Inc., both divisions of the Johnson & Johnson Corporation. This medication was discovered in 1979 by Bruce E. Maryanoff and Joseph F. Gardocki during their research work at McNeil...
- Valproate