Posted by Arias on May 16, 2000, at 21:08:09
In reply to Re: What's Wrong with Having a Seizure???, posted by stjames on May 16, 2000, at 17:58:50
Seizures happen when a group of the brain cells are overly excited. I believe that epileptic seizures may have variable number of foci, depending on the type of seizure(absence, complex partial, grand mal) and its underlying cause; 75% adult epilepsy is idiopathic. It may or may not generalize to the entire brain or it may even start out that way. As for ECT, from what I understand, they strap on a 1-2 electrodes and briefly stimulate under controlled conditions. It may start with a specific foci but it generalizes, sort of a jumpstart. The mechanism of ECT and epilepsy is the same however, and remains to be elucidated completely.
As for the newborn seizures, Rebecca, it depends on the age of onset, whether or not you were feverish, but with (super!)normal neuro development and eventual resolution, that it's most likely benign and without sequelae. There are a bunch of pediatric epileptic syndromes and yours sounds, in my completely uninformed and unsolicited opinion, like benign neonatal seizures; they are, in a word, benign.
Of course, this is my intellectual rationalization on a frightening and personal experience! I had the seizure during some dinner full of medical personnel; from what I remember, I was extremely bored beforehand and thinking about trying out the sake. I was incoherent afterwards, very sleepy, and inexplicably wanted to cry. From what I understand, this is a common occurrence post-seizure. I can see your point about re-booting the brain Mark but of course, I'd rather be on the Wellbutrin! Epilepsy itself sounds dreadful though controllable; 20% of those with a single unprovoked seizure will suffer another and once you've had a second seizure, about 100% will have more seizures. Of course, not all seizures are physical with the flinging of the arms and legs; the aura itself is a partial seizure. I would imagine however, that it makes driving difficult among other things. Repeatedly uncontrolled seizures like status epilepticus--which happens not only in epileptics but also a possibility in ECT(some are more sensitive than others, it's a small risk) can have sequelae, not only from the respiratory distress standpoint, but cognitive/mental difficulties and long-term brain volume loss. If it's uncontrolled!
Kay Redfield Jamison wrote a beautiful book about her manic depression called "An unquiet mind." She's a prof at Hopkins School of Medicine; I recommend it highly. I remember one anecdote whereupon she first confronts the chairman of the department about her possible employment with her manic depression; he then takes his hand in hers, and says something like, "Honey, if we had to bar everyone with a mental illness, we wouldn't have a department."
I apologize for this tome of a response, you are a most interesting and voluble group :)
poster:Arias
thread:33497
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000508/msgs/33716.html