Epilepsy is a chronic disease that manifests itself in the form of repeated convulsive and or other seizures. In some situations, there is even loss of consciousness or hallucinations. After the patient comes to his senses, his family and friends often notice some changes in the patient's personality. He begins to behave differently. Therefore, it is important to timely diagnose the pathology and determine its shape.
The first international classification of epilepsy and epileptic syndromes was compiled in Japan. However, in the future, the data revised and finalized this document, now in the United States. This version is relevant today. In the ICD-10 classification, epilepsy is indicated under the code G40. According to this list, there are many subgroups that characterize different types of seizures. It is worth considering the most common types of padau, which are found in modern medical practice.
Classification of epilepsy: etiology and pathogenesis
Despite the fact that this disease has been known for more than 5000 years, to date, the complete etiology, as well as the mechanisms of development of the described ailment, remain unexplored. However, there is some evidence that helps doctors make the right diagnosis.
If we are talking about a newborn or an infant, then most often hypoxia or genetic defects that occur against the background of an incorrectly occurring metabolism lead to such seizures. Often such such manifestations are recorded against the background of perinatal lesions. When a child reaches adulthood, seizures can be explained by the presence of one or another infectious disease that affects the nervous system.
Despite the fact that epilepsy is not fully understood, it manifests itself in fairly clear-cut syndromes. As a rule, patients suffer from seizures that develop due to fever, they are also called febrile. According to studies, about 5% of children and adolescents at least once encountered the fact that during a strong increase in temperature they had a convulsive state. And about half of these patients have experienced repeated seizures.
At a young age, the causes of epilepsy are often associated with traumatic brain injuries. In such situations, there may be both acute cramps and seizures that begin in a person quite a long time after injury.
If we are talking about people older than 20 years, then in this case, tumor formations in the brain become the causes of the pathology. However, it all depends on the medical history. If in the past a person has already encountered similar problems, then perhaps the reason lies elsewhere.
Also, considering the classification of epilepsy attacks, it is worth paying attention to the age category older than 50 years. In this case, seizures can occur against the background of vascular or degenerative diseases that occur in the brain. Such attacks are very dangerous, because at this age people usually have a whole bunch of additional diseases.
According to the current classification of epilepsy, in about 6-10% of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke, a periodic acute condition is observed in which convulsions begin.
Causes of pathology
It is important to consider that in some patients it is impossible to accurately diagnose the root cause of the described pathology. In this case, we are talking about idiopathic epilepsy. It also takes into account how predisposed a person is to this pathology at the genetic level. If a patient in the family of one of the relatives has experienced such attacks, then he needs to be prepared for the fact that over time he may also have a seizure.
If we talk about the pathogenesis of epilepsy, you need to understand that due to neuronal activity that begins in the brain, a person can begin to suffer from pathological factors that can be excessive or periodic. In this case, there is a polarization of neurons in the brain. It can be local or manifest as periodic seizures. It is also worthwhile to dwell in more detail on the new classification of epilepsy. To date, several of the most studied varieties of this condition are distinguished.
Abscess Epilepsy
This type of epilepsy is interesting in that the patient is completely absent as such convulsions or loss of consciousness. Pathology is manifested in the fact that a person freezes for a while and loses orientation in space. In this case, the patient does not react to any external stimuli.
Among the main symptoms of this type of lapidary, it is worth highlighting not only sudden fading, but also too focused or absent gaze. At the same time, a person may not react at all if you turn to him. Most often, such pathologies appear in children in preschool age. The development of these symptoms can last quite a long time - up to 6 years. After this, the signs of the disease can either completely stop or flow into another, more serious form of pathology.
Considering the classification of epilepsy, it is worth noting that girls are much more prone to abscess seizures than representatives of the opposite sex. Therefore, parents of girls should pay attention to any strange symptoms and a sharp change in the behavior of the child.
Rolandic form of pathology
This variety of epilepsy, which is part of the international classification of epilepsy, is most often found in children than in adults. As a rule, the first attacks begin in the period from the age of three and can occur up to 14 years. Most often boys suffer from this form of epilepsy.
In the process of a seizure, the patient has severe numbness of the skin on the face, and the tongue and gums also lose sensitivity. It becomes very difficult for the patient to speak, he has a strong salivation. In addition, these seizures may be accompanied by unilateral or other seizures. Typically, seizures occur mainly at night and do not last long.
Myoclonic form
Considering the classification of epilepsy and epileptic seizures, it is worth paying attention to this kind of ailment. This form of the disease is found in both sexes. Seizures of this type are considered quite common, and the disease, as a rule, begins to appear in the period from 10 to 20 years.
If we talk about the main symptoms, then the patients begin to suffer from standard epileptic seizures, but after a while other deviations begin to develop. So, patients suffer from involuntary muscle contractions.
Often this type of lapidum flows into serious mental changes. If we talk about the frequency of attacks, then everything depends on the specific situation. In some, they occur daily, while in others they are observed only several times a month or less.
Additionally, doctors observe patients with a disorder of consciousness. However, do not be upset to hear this diagnosis. This form of pathology, as a rule, lends itself very well to therapeutic treatment.
Post-traumatic epilepsy
In this case, seizures occur against the background of head injuries or brain injuries. According to the clinical classification of epilepsy, its post-traumatic variety mainly manifests itself in the form of standard seizures.
It occurs in about 10% of people who have experienced serious injuries. So, when it comes to brain damage, the likelihood of further development of epilepsy increases to 40%.
It is worth noting that the first attacks occur not only shortly after the injury, but several years later, when the victim already forgets about the incident. The period of development of the disease directly depends on which zone of the brain hit.
Alcoholic form of seizures
According to the classification of epilepsies, this pathology is called alcohol injection into the brain. This condition is considered one of the most severe. In this case, a person begins quite severe convulsive seizures.
If we talk about the causes of this condition, then, as a rule, the consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to it for too long, as a result of which the patient develops severe intoxication. This is especially dangerous if the patient drank low-quality alcohol.
In the case when an additional factor is an infectious disease of the brain, a head injury previously suffered by the patient or the presence of atherosclerosis, a convulsive seizure may occur several days after the end of the feast.
Describing the symptoms of alcoholic epilepsy, it is worth paying attention to the fact that at first the patient loses consciousness, after which there is a strong blanching of his face. The victim begins to feel sick, foam appears from the mouth. The seizure does not last long and stops at the moment when the patient fully regains consciousness. After that, he really wants to sleep. In some situations, the occurrence of hallucinations is also observed. This is a very dangerous condition in which you need to immediately call a doctor.
Convulsive epilepsy
A similar variety of seizures often occurs against the background of the development of a particular disease, as well as a result of psychological changes. This condition is dangerous in that it can last from several minutes to two days. As a rule, non-convulsive attacks occur very suddenly and also quickly stop.
To understand that a person will have a seizure soon, it is necessary to pay attention to whether he had a narrowing of consciousness. In this situation, patients begin to perceive the surrounding reality worse, focusing solely on emotionally important phenomena for them. Often, patients experience severe hallucinations, which can be quite frightening.
With convulsive epilepsy, people become more emotional. As a rule, such a pathology is often manifested in some mental disorders. After such attacks, the patient cannot remember what he did during the seizure. However, most often, residual memories still persist.
Classification of forms of epilepsy depending on the area of the brain lesion: frontal epilepsy
If we consider the condition of the patient, based on the affected area of the brain, then in medicine there are certain types of the described disease, which include frontal epilepsy.
In this case, the pathological foci are concentrated precisely in the named parts of the human brain. Similar manifestations affect people of any age.
Attacks are characterized by a high frequency, but there are no fixed intervals between them. Typically, a seizure lasts no more than 60 seconds. It starts very suddenly and also stops quickly. If we talk about symptoms, then first of all the patient feels a strong fever, he can not talk normally, moves chaotically.
Varieties of frontal epilepsy are nocturnal seizures. By the way, such a development of pathology is considered the most favorable. The fact is that in such situations, neurons become active mainly at night, which means that the excitation will not be transmitted to neighboring parts of the brain and, accordingly, the attacks will go much milder.
If we talk about symptoms, then during such seizures, the patient begins to carry out any active activity in the process of sleep. For example, his limbs can tremble, move. In some patients, an involuntary urination process is observed.
In the new classification of epilepsy, other types of pathology can be found.
Temporal epilepsy
If we are talking about the lesions that fall on this temporal brain, then in this case a large number of factors can influence the development of pathology. For example, women who have suffered a birth injury often suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy.
Attacks with this form of pathology last a very short time. And among the main symptoms, nausea, fairly strong pain in the peritoneum, intestinal cramps, rapid heart rate, heavy breathing and excessive sweating can be distinguished. Some patients experience minor changes in consciousness. For example, a person begins to make completely meaningless actions.
Diseases of this type are considered chronic, and if you do not try to stabilize the patient's condition, then the pathology will only progress.
Occipital epilepsy
This kind of pathology is found mainly in very young children aged 2 to 4 years. In this case, a favorable prognosis of the development of the disease is most often observed, since after a while the problem completely disappears.
The cause of occipital epilepsy can be an infection, tumor, or congenital malformation of the brain. In this case, the child during the attack may appear flies in front of the eyes, small hallucinations, the movement of the eyeballs is observed.
Also, the classification of convulsive seizures of epilepsy includes other forms of pathology.
West syndrome (infantile cramps)
If we talk about the classical development of this pathology, the first seizures occur in the first year of the baby's life. Most often they are observed in babies in the first years of life. In 90% of young patients, seizures are observed up to 12 months.
In an individual child, infantile spasms appear stereotypically. Quite often they take place in the form of series.
With an attack, his body is completely bent and unbent, as well as limbs. As the child grows, the convulsive state appears less and less and, as a rule, completely stops at 5 years old. However, in some situations and in later life, such a patient has problems.
International Classification of Epilepsy: Partial Seizures
As a rule, with such types of pathology, convulsive attacks occur, caused by violations in one of the areas of the brain. This type of epilepsy can differ in some complications. However, if we consider the simple manifestations of this type of pathology in the classification of epilepsy seizures, then the following types of seizures can be distinguished:
- Motor muscle cramps.
- Sensory. These include seizures caused by beeps or bright flashes of light.
- Vegetative. According to the classification of epilepsy, in this case we are talking about increased sweating, redness or blanching of the skin and other autonomic disorders.
In the event of a complex seizure in a person, a violation of consciousness, a change in the psyche can occur. A person ceases to be aware of what is happening around, to adequately respond to others.
In the classification of epilepsies, other varieties of seizures are also presented, however, they are much less common in medical practice. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the symptoms and manifestations of the syndromes described above. If any warning sign appears, especially after head injuries, you should consult a doctor. The sooner treatment is started, the more likely it is to prevent severe complications.