What damage does seizures cause to the brain?

Isolated, brief seizures are likely to cause negative changes in brain function and possibly loss of specific brain cells. This is not true for all forms of epilepsy, however, and is likely to be highly dependent upon the type of seizure and the specific cause of the epilepsy.


What are the long term effects of seizures on the brain?

Effects of Seizures on the Brain

Other changes in the brain may lead to a permanent change in personality and seizures in the temporal lobe. These changes may lead to loss of sex drive, over-bearing tendencies, single-minded conversation habits, anxiety over every day events, and a decrease in spontaneous activities.

Can the brain recover after a seizure?

Some people recover immediately while others may take minutes to hours to feel like their usual self. The type of seizure, as well as what part of the brain the seizure impacts, affects the recovery period – how long it may last and what may occur during it.


Can seizures cause irreversible brain damage?

Abstract. Data from experimental models provide evidence that both prolonged and brief seizures can cause irreversible impairment in spatial and emotional learning and memory.

When does brain damage occur with seizures?

A seizure lasting more than five minutes or two or more seizures with incomplete recovery in between is an emergency. A seizure that lasts more than five minutes, or at least two seizures without full recovery in between, can cause brain damage or worse in children and newborns.


Causes of Seizures Following Brain Injury



Do seizures give permanent damage?

A seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes, or having more than 1 seizure within a 5 minutes period, without returning to a normal level of consciousness between episodes is called status epilepticus. This is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Can seizures lead to dementia?

People with epilepsy develop Alzheimer's disease at a rate 6 times higher than the non-epileptic population, and seizures can damage the memory centers of the brain and contribute to dementia.

Do seizures shorten your life span?

Reduction in life expectancy can be up to 2 years for people with a diagnosis of idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy, and the reduction can be up to 10 years in people with symptomatic epilepsy. Reductions in life expectancy are highest at the time of diagnosis and diminish with time.


Do seizures affect life expectancy?

Compared with the general population, patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic epilepsy have reduced life expectancy, according to an investigation published in the November 2017 issue of Epilepsia. Patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy, however, have a normal or prolonged life expectancy.

What would cause a seizure all of a sudden?

Anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. This includes a high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion. But when a person has 2 or more seizures with no known cause, this is diagnosed as epilepsy.

Can seizures change your personality?

Many people with epilepsy experience disagreeable changes in their emotions, and the link between mood disorders and epilepsy has been observed for more than 2,000 years. While this link has been noticed for many years, the relationship between seizures and mood disorders has not been well understood until recently.


What foods should epileptics avoid?

white bread; non-wholegrain cereals; biscuits and cakes; honey; high-sugar drinks and foods; fruit juices; chips; mashed potatoes; parsnips; dates and watermelon. In general, processed or overcooked foods and over-ripe fruits.

What are the 4 stages of a seizure?

The four phases of seizure are:
  • Prodromal.
  • Early ictal (the “aura”)
  • Ictal.
  • Postictal.


Do seizures get worse with age?

Does epilepsy get worse with age? If you were diagnosed with epilepsy while you were a child or a teenager, the condition is likely to eventually go away or become easier to control. That being said, it can get worse for some, while other people continue having occasional seizures for their whole lives.


Do seizures affect mental health?

Between 30 and 50 percent of children with epilepsy will develop a behavioral or mental health problem. The types of behavioral problems associated with epilepsy include attention deficit, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, aggression, and autism spectrum disorder.

Do epileptics need more sleep?

If you have epilepsy, lack of "good sleep" makes most people more likely to have seizures. It can even increase the intensity and length of seizures.

What is the most life threatening type of seizure?

Status epilepticus happens when a seizure lasts for more than five minutes, or you have more than one seizure without enough time between to recover. Status epilepticus is a life-threatening medical emergency because it can cause brain damage or even death.


What is the difference between seizures and epilepsy?

A seizure is a single occurrence, whereas epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures.

What vitamin is good for seizures?

Vitamin D May Help Seizure Control

Supplemental vitamin D may be necessary for people who have these risk factors to maintain normal blood levels. A study published in 2012 showed that correcting vitamin D deficiency reduced seizures in people with epilepsy.

Should epileptics live alone?

By taking care of your overall well-being and making lifestyle changes to lower the risk of seizure, you can live safely and independently with epilepsy.


What causes seizures to start later in life?

After age 55, the rate of new cases of epilepsy starts to increase, as people develop strokes, brain tumors, or Alzheimer's disease, which all can cause epilepsy.

What is the most common cause of seizures in older adults?

Cerebrovascular Disease and Dementia

The most common cause of seizure activity in seniors is cerebrovascular disease, occurring more frequently as a consequence of a hemorrhagic stroke than the nonhemorrhagic type.

Does seizures qualify for disability?

Even when on medication people with epilepsy can experience seizures that leave the worn out and unable to function for days. If you have been diagnosed with epilepsy and you can't work and you expect to be unable to work for at least 12 months you can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits.


Is a seizure like a stroke?

Seizures start in a specific part of the brain, but the disorganized activity usually spreads to the whole brain. But strokes tend to only affect the part of the brain that is lacking blood. This is why seizures often lead to a full loss of consciousness.

Can seizures be traumatizing?

An epileptic seizure, can cause trauma for its sudden emergence, leading to functional impairment, accidents and injuries, and fear of death. The seizure can be traumatizing itself, besides, an head trauma that may occur during the seizure can also cause epilepsy.