What do you know about temporal lobe epilepsy?

Temporomandibular seizures often begin in the temporal lobe, an important part of the brain. The place holds the function of processing emotions, and especially very important for each person's short-term memory. Some of the symptoms of the disease are related to these regional functions, including: having strange sensations – such as euphoria, deja vu or fear.

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• Overview of temporal lobe epilepsy
• Symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy
• When should you see a doctor?
• What causes temporal lobe epilepsy?
• What complications can temporal lobe epilepsy leave behind?
• How is temporal lobe epilepsy diagnosed?
• Treatment modalities for temporal lobe epilepsy

Overview of temporal lobe epilepsy

The temporal lobe is one of the four large lobes of the brain. Temporal lobe epilepsy is a phenomenon in which a group of nerve cells located in this area discharge abnormally and excessively, causing many changes in movement, consciousness, sensation and will affect thinking, memory, emotions... of the patient. It is also the most common type of partial seizure .

Temporal lobe epilepsy is sometimes called partial loss of consciousness. Some people are still aware of what is happening. During severe seizures, however, the person may appear alert but unresponsive. The patient's lips and hands may make repetitive, aimless movements.

Temporal lobe epilepsy can result from an anatomical defect or scarring in the temporal lobe. However, the exact cause is often unknown. Temporal lobe epilepsy is treated medically with medication. For some people who do not respond to medication, surgery may be an option.

Symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy

The aura that precedes a seizure is often described by patients as an abnormal sensation (halo). Not all people with temporal lobe epilepsy have auras, and not everyone who has auras remembers them.

Aura is actually the first part of a partial seizure before consciousness is impaired. Examples of millions include:

• A sudden feeling of fear or joy
• Experiencing deja vu – a feeling that what is happening has happened before
• Perception of a strange smell or taste
• Feeling a surge in my stomach, similar to being on a roller coaster

Sometimes temporal lobe epilepsy reduces your ability to respond to your surroundings. This type of temporal lobe seizure usually lasts 30 seconds to two minutes. Characteristic signs and symptoms include:

• Loss of awareness of surroundings
• Stare
• Copy lips
• Swallow or chew many times
• Abnormal finger movements, such as selection movement

After a temporal lobe seizure, a person may have:

• A period of confusion and difficulty speaking
• Inability to recall what happens during a seizure
• Didn't know there was a seizure
• Extreme sleepiness

In extreme cases, what begins as a temporal lobe seizure progresses to a systemic tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure – with convulsions and loss of consciousness.

When should you see a doctor?

Seek medical help right away if you have the following problems:

• The seizure lasted more than five minutes.
• Breathing or consciousness does not return after the seizure has stopped.
• A second seizure soon followed.
• Incomplete recovery after the seizure ends.
• Recovery is slower than usual after the seizure ends.
• High fever.
• Pregnant.
• Diabetes.
• Injuring yourself during a seizure.
• Seizures appear for the first time

What causes temporal lobe epilepsy?

In a normal waking or sleeping state, brain cells produce different electrical activities. If the electrical activity in many brain cells becomes abnormally synchronized, a seizure occurs. If this happens in just one area of ​​the brain, a partial seizure will result. A primary temporal lobe seizure is a partial seizure that originates in part of the temporal lobe.

Often, the cause of temporal lobe epilepsy remains unknown. However, they can be the result of a number of conditions, including:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Infections, such as encephalitis or meningitis, or a history of similar infections
• Scarring (gliosis) in a part of the temporal lobe called the hippocampus
• Vascular malformations in the brain
• Stroke
• Brain tumors
• Hereditary syndrome

What complications can temporal lobe epilepsy leave behind?

Over time, repeated temporal lobe seizures can cause the part of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory (the hippocampus) to shrink. Loss of brain cells in this area causes memory problems.

How is temporal lobe epilepsy diagnosed?

After a seizure, the patient will be examined for symptoms and a complete medical history. You may be offered a number of tests to determine the cause of the seizure.

Routine examination and tests

• Neurological examination. Your doctor can test your behavior, mobility, and neurological function to determine if you have problems with your brain and nervous system.
• Blood tests. The patient takes a blood sample to check for signs of infection, genetic disease, blood sugar, or electrolyte imbalance.

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• Electroencephalogram (EEG). Electrodes attached to your scalp record your brain's electrical activity, which appears as wavy lines on the EEG recording. An EEG can reveal whether a seizure is likely to happen again. In addition, it helps to rule out other conditions similar to epilepsy.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

• Computed tomography (CT) scan. A CT scan uses X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of the brain. CT scans can reveal abnormalities in your brain that can cause seizures, such as tumors, bleeding, and cysts.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create a detailed view of your brain. This vehicle can detect lesions or abnormalities in the brain that lead to seizures.
• Positron emission tomography (PET). A PET scan uses a small amount of low-dose radioactive material injected into a vein. This helps visualize brain areas and detect abnormalities.
• SPECT. The SPECT test uses a small amount of low-dose radioactive material injected into a vein to create a 3-D map. Thereby, giving details about the blood flow activity in the brain during a seizure

Treatment modalities for temporal lobe epilepsy

When a seizure occurs, it may be an isolated lesion. Your doctor will consider treatment if you have multiple seizures.

The ultimate goal in epilepsy treatment is to find the best possible therapy to stop the seizures. At the same time, this method must have the least side effects.

Treatment with drugs

Many medications are available to treat temporal lobe epilepsy. However, many people do not achieve seizure control with medication alone. They also experienced side effects, including fatigue, weight gain, and dizziness.

Learn about medication side effects before deciding on treatment options. Also, ask about the effects of epilepsy and other medications you take. Such as birth control pills, as they can interact with each other.

Other treatments

When anti-seizure medications don't work, other treatments may be an option:

Surgery

The goal of surgery is to stop seizures from happening. The surgeon removes the area of ​​the brain where the seizures started. In some people, surgeons may use MRI laser therapy as a less invasive way to destroy the area of ​​damaged tissue that causes seizures.

Surgery works best for people whose seizures always originate in the same place in their brain. Surgery is generally not an option if your seizures are coming from multiple brain regions. Even if the seizure is unspecified or the seizure comes from an area of ​​the brain that performs important functions.

Surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy

Stimulation of the vagus nerve

A device implanted beneath the skin of your chest stimulates the vagus nerve in your neck, sending signals to your brain to inhibit seizures. With vagus nerve stimulation, you may still need medication, but you can reduce your dose.

Responsive neural response

When nerve stimulation responds, a device implanted on the surface of the brain or in brain tissue can detect seizure activity. Then deliver an electrical stimulation to the detected area to stop the seizure.

Diet therapy

Following a diet that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, known as the ketogenic diet, may improve seizure control.

Home Remedies:

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

• Take medicine properly. Do not adjust your dosage before talking to your doctor. If you feel your medication should be changed, discuss it with your doctor.
• Sleeping enough. Lack of sleep can trigger seizures. Be sure to get adequate rest each night.
• Wear a medical alert bracelet. This will help emergency personnel know how to treat you correctly if you have another seizure.
• Ask your doctor about driving restrictions.
• Maintain personal safety when engaging in potentially hazardous physical activities.

Prognosis

Even after the seizure is under control, it can still affect your life. Temporal lobe epilepsy is more of a challenge because people don't recognize abnormal behavior as a seizure. Children may be teased or embarrassed about the condition. Also living with the constant threat of a seizure can be stressful for children and adults alike.

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a type of epilepsy with many very specific symptoms and can seriously affect a person's memory. Through the above information, SignsSymptomsList hopes that you will equip yourself with knowledge and awareness about temporal lobe epilepsy.