Description

Temporal lobe seizures begin in the temporal lobes of the brain. These areas of process emotions and are important for short-term memory. The symptoms of a seizure in the temporal lobe often affect these functions . Some people have a strange feeling during the seizure, such as joy, deja vu or fear.

Temporal lobe seizures are sometimes called focal seizures with impaired consciousness. Some people are aware of what is going on during the seizure. People who have more intense seizures may appear to be awake, but does not respond to what is around them. His lips and hands can make movements again and again.

The cause of the seizures of the temporal lobe, often not known. But it can come from a scar in the temporal lobe. Temporal lobe seizures are treated with medicine. Some people who do not respond to medication can have the surgery.

Symptoms

A strange feeling called an aura may occur before a seizure in the temporal lobe. An aura acts as a warning. Not everyone who has seizures of the temporal lobe have auras. And not everyone who has auras remembers them.

The aura is the first part of a focal seizure before the loss of consciousness.

Examples of auras include:

  • A sudden feeling of fear or joy.
  • A feeling that what is happening has happened before, known as déjà vu.
  • A sudden or strange smell or taste.
  • An increase of the sensitivity in the belly that feels like being on a roller coaster

Sometimes seizures of the temporal lobe to keep people from responding to others. This type of temporal lobe seizures more often lasts from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

The symptoms of a seizure in the temporal lobe are:

  • Not to be aware of the people and things around you.
  • Staring.
  • Smacking the lip.
  • Swallowing or chewing time and time again.
  • The movements of the fingers, such as the collection of movements.

After a seizure in the temporal lobe, you can:

  • They are confused and have difficulty speaking for a time.
  • Be unable to remember what happened during the seizure.
  • Be aware of having had a seizure.
  • Be very sleepy.

Sometimes, what begins as a temporal-lobe seizure is converted into a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. This type of seizure that causes tremors, known as seizures and loss of consciousness. It is also called a grand mal seizure.

When to see a doctor

Call 911 or the local emergency number if:

  • The seizure lasts more than five minutes.
  • Of the breath or of the consciousness of no return after the seizure stops.
  • A second attack follows immediately.
  • The recovery is not complete after the seizure.
  • The recovery is slower than usual after the seizure.
  • You're pregnant.
  • You have diabetes.
  • An injury that happens during the seizure.

For a first attack, consult a health care professional.

Seek medical advice if:

  • You think that you or your child has had a seizure.
  • Have more seizures, or more severe seizures.
  • You have new symptoms of the attack.

Causes

Often, experts do not know the cause of the seizures of the temporal lobe. But it can be a result of the following factors:

  • Traumatic brain injury.
  • Infections such as encephalitis and meningitis, or a history of this type of infections.
  • A process that causes the formation of scar tissue in a part of the temporal lobe called the hippocampus. This is known as gliosis.
  • Blood vessels in the brain that are not formed correctly, called vascular malformations.
  • Stroke.
  • Brain tumors.
  • Genetic syndromes.
  • Abstinence from alcohol overuse.

During wakefulness and sleep, the brain cells have electrical activity. A burst of electrical activity in many cells of the brain can cause a seizure.

If this explosion occurs in only one area of the brain, the result is a focal seizure. A temporal-lobe seizure is a focal seizure that starts in one of the temporal lobes.

Risk factors

There are several risk factors for the temporal-lobe seizure. They represent the greatest risk if they occur early in life. These risk factors include:

  • The brain injury.
  • Infections such as encephalitis or meningitis.
  • A seizure caused by fever, called a febrile seizure.

Complications

Over time, repeated seizures of the temporal lobe can cause the part of the brain involved in learning and memory to reduce the size. This area of the brain called the hippocampus. The loss of brain cells in the hippocampus can cause memory problems.

Diagnosis

After a seizure, your health care professional to review your medical history and symptoms. You may have tests to find the cause of your seizures. Knowing the cause helps to show how likely it is that you are going to have another attack.

Tests may include:

  • Neurological examination. Your health care provider may test your behavior, motor abilities and mental function. This can show how well your brain and nervous system are working.
  • Blood tests. A blood sample goes to a lab to check for signs of infection, genetic conditions, levels of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalances.
  • Electroencephalogram, also called EEG. Flat metal discs called electrodes attached to your scalp to record the electrical activity of your brain. This shows up as wavy lines on an EEG. The EEG may show a pattern that indicates whether an attack is likely to happen again. An EEG can also help rule out other conditions like epilepsy.
  • The computed tomography scan, also called a CT scanner. A ct scan uses X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of the brain. Ct scans can show what could be the cause of the seizures. The scans can show tumors, bleeding and cysts.
  • The magnetic resonance imaging. An mri uses powerful magnets and radio waves to show a detailed view of the brain. An mri can show the possible causes of the seizures.
  • Positron emission tomography, also called PET. PET scans use a small amount of low-dose radioactive material. A healthcare professional puts the material into a vein. The analysis shows the active areas of the brain. The PET scan can show where in the brain the seizure began.
  • Single-photon emission computed tomography, also called SPECT. A SPECT test uses a small amount of low-dose radioactive tracer. A healthcare professional puts the marker in a vein. This makes a detailed 3D map of the blood flow in the brain during a seizure. A form of SPECT test called the subtraction SPECT ictal coregistered with magnetic resonance imaging, also called SISCOM, you can give even more detailed results.

Treatment

Not everyone who has an attack of another. Your healthcare provider may decide not to start the treatment until you have had more than one.

Seizures treatment aims to find the best therapy to stop their attacks with the least amount of side effects.

Drugs

Many medications to treat seizures of the temporal lobe. But many people can not manage the seizures fully with medications alone. The side effects are common. May include tiredness, weight gain, and dizziness.

Discuss possible side effects with your healthcare provider when you think about the treatments. Also ask what effect your seizure medications may have on other medicines that you take. For example, some anti-seizure medicines can affect the effectiveness of birth control pills work.

Diet therapy

Following a ketogenic diet may improve seizure management. A ketogenic diet is a high fat and very low in carbohydrates. But it can be hard to follow, because it allows only a very limited number of foods.

Other versions of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may also be helpful, but do not work as well. These diets include low glycemic index and Atkins diets. Experts are still studying these diets.

Surgical or other procedures

When anti-seizure medications don't work, there are other treatments, including:

  • Surgery.Epilepsy surgery is a procedure to reduce seizures and improve quality of life of people with epilepsy. Surgeons usually do so with open surgery to remove the area of the brain where seizures begin. Sometimes, surgeons can use the mri-guided laser therapy. This is a less invasive method to destroy the area of tissue that causes seizures. The surgery works best if you have seizures always start in the same place in the brain. Most often, you will not have the surgery if your seizures come from more than one area of the brain. You also might not be able to have the surgery if your health care team can not find where the seizures start. The surgery may also not be an option if your attacks a part of the brain that affects speech, thought, movement, memory and other important functions.
  • Stimulation of the vagus nerve. A device that is placed under the skin of the breast stimulates the vagus nerve in the neck. This sends signals to the brain to reduce seizures.
  • Responsive neurostimulation. Surgeons placed a device in the brain or in the brain tissue. The device can tell when the crisis starts the activity. Sends electrical stimulation to stop the attack.
  • The deep brain stimulation. Surgeons placed thin wires called electrodes in certain areas of the brain to produce electrical impulses. The impulses to help the body to manage the activity in the brain that cause seizures. The electrodes attach to a pacemakerlike device that's placed under the skin of the chest. The device handles the amount of stimulation that happens.

Surgery. Epilepsy surgery is a procedure to reduce seizures and improve quality of life of people with epilepsy. Surgeons usually do so with open surgery to remove the area of the brain where seizures begin.

Sometimes, surgeons can use the mri-guided laser therapy. This is a less invasive method to destroy the area of tissue that causes seizures.

The surgery works best if you have seizures always start in the same place in the brain. Most often, you will not have the surgery if your seizures come from more than one area of the brain.

You also might not be able to have the surgery if your health care team can not find where the seizures start. The surgery may also not be an option if your attacks a part of the brain that affects speech, thought, movement, memory and other important functions.

Pregnancy and seizures

People who have had seizures can have healthy pregnancies. But some medicines used to treat convulsions sometimes can cause health conditions that are present at birth.

Valproic acid is a drug for generalized seizures has been associated with cognitive problems and neural tube defects, such as spina bifida) in babies. The American Academy of Neurology recommends the use of valproic acid during pregnancy due to the risks to your baby.

Talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of anticonvulsant drugs, including the risk of health conditions that are present at birth. Make a plan with your health care professional before you get pregnant. The pregnancy can change the way that you need to take your medication.

Some people may need to change the doses of seizure medication before or during pregnancy. The goal is to be at the lowest dose of the safest medication for the seizures that manages the seizures.

Birth control and anti-seizure medications

Some anti-seizure medications to maintain control of the birth rate of work as well. Consult with your healthcare professional to see if your medication affects your birth control. You may have to try other forms of birth control.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Here are some steps you can take to help control seizures:

  • Take the medication correctly. Do not change the dose without first checking with your health care professional. If you think that your medicine needs a change, always talk with your health care professional.
  • Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can trigger seizures. Make sure you get enough rest each night.
  • Wear a medical alert bracelet. This helps emergency personnel know how to treat you if you have a seizure.
  • Ask your health care professional about driving. People who have seizures must be seizure-free for a certain period of time before being able to drive. The amount of time varies from state to state.

Personal safety

Most often, the seizures do not result in serious injury. But the injury is possible if you have recurrent seizures. These steps can help you avoid injury during a seizure:

  • Be careful near the water. Do not swim alone or ride in a boat without someone nearby.
  • Wear a helmet. Wear a helmet during activities such as riding a bike or playing sports.
  • Take showers. Do not take a bath, unless someone is close to you.
  • Soften your home. The pad corners, buy furniture with rounded edges and choose the chairs that have arms to prevent the drop off. Reflect on the carpet with thick padding to protect you if you fall.
  • Have a list of the seizures first aid tips. Put them in a place where people can see. Include phone numbers that people might need if you have a seizure.

Seizure first aid

It is useful to know what to do if you see someone having a seizure. If you are at risk of having a seizure in the future, give this information to the family, friends and coworkers. Then they will know what to do if you have an attack.

To help someone during a seizure:

  • Carefully roll the person onto one side.
  • Place something soft under the person's head.
  • Loosen the tie.
  • Do not put fingers or other objects into the mouth of the person.
  • Do not try to restrain the person.
  • Clear away dangerous objects if the person is in motion.
  • Stay with the person until medical help arrives.
  • Look with attention to the person so that you can tell the medical assistants of what happened.
  • The duration of the attack.
  • Keep calm.

Coping and support

The stress due to living with a seizure condition can affect your mental health. Talk with your health care professional about your feelings. Look for ways to find help.

Home

Your family can provide the necessary support. Tell them what you know about your seizures. Let them know they can ask you questions. Ask them about their concerns.

On the job

Talk with your supervisor about your attacks and how they affect you. Discuss what you need your supervisor or co-workers to do if you have a seizure at work. Talk with your coworkers about the seizures. This will help them understand their condition and provide you with more support.

You are not alone

Reach out to family and friends. Ask your health care professional about local support groups, or join an online support community. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Having a strong support system is vital for living with any medical condition.

Preparing for your appointment

Sometimes seizures need immediate medical help. You don't always have time to prepare for an appointment.

But you can see your primary health care professional or to be sent to a specialist. You can see a specialist trained in brain and nervous system conditions, call a neurologist. Or you could see a neurologist trained in epilepsy, known as an epileptologist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • Write down what you remember about the attack. Include when and where it happened, the symptoms that I had, and how long it lasted, if you know. Ask anyone who saw the seizure to help you fill in the details.
  • Be aware of the restrictions prior to your appointment. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do ahead of time to be ready for medical tests or exams.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • Have a family member or friend to your appointment. Someone who can help you to remember all information that you get. And the person who goes with you may be able to answer questions about their seizures that cannot be.
  • Write questions to ask their health professional. Make a list of questions can help you make the most of your time during your visit.

For seizures, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What do you think caused my seizure?
  • What tests do I need?
  • What treatment do you suggest?
  • How likely is it that I might have another attack?
  • How can I make sure that I don't hurt myself if I have another attack?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you suggest?

Be sure to ask all the questions that you have.

What to expect from your doctor

A health professional is likely to ask you questions, such as:

  • Can you describe your episode of seizure?
  • Someone was there to see what happened?
  • How does it feel just before the crisis? What about right after the seizure?
  • Have you had a seizure or other neurological condition in the past?
  • Do you have any family members who have been diagnosed with a seizure condition, or epilepsy?
  • You have recently traveled out of the country?
Symptoms and treatment of Temporal-lobe seizure