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Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...

Epilepsy ll: Types

Epilepsy ll: Types

Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery, the surgical alteration or permanent removal of brain tissue to alleviate severe psychological conditions, stands as one of the most radical and controversial treatments in the history of mental health care. Its development and application have evolved significantly, marked by dramatic shifts in scientific understanding and ethical perspectives.
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...

Seizures l: Introduction

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Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...

Electroconvulsive Therapy

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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...

Seizures: Classification

Seizures: Classification

Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Robotic-Guided Stereoelectroencephalography for Invasive Epilepsy Monitoring

Robotic-Guided Stereoelectroencephalography for Invasive Epilepsy Monitoring

Published on: June 13, 2025

[Epilepsy surgery--assessment and patient selection].

Karl O Nakken¹, Hrisimir Kostov, Anette Ramm-Pettersen

¹Avdeling for kompleks epilepsi-SSE, Klinikk for kirurgi og nevrofag, Oslo universitetssykehus, Norway. karl.otto.nakken@ous-hf.no

Tidsskrift for Den Norske Laegeforening : Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin, Ny Raekke

|August 10, 2012

Summary

Epilepsy surgery is a key treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. Early referral for surgical evaluation is crucial for patients with epilepsy who do not respond to medication.

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Robotic-Guided Stereoelectroencephalography for Invasive Epilepsy Monitoring

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$Stereo-Electro-Encephalo-Graphy (SEEG) With Robotic Assistance in the Presurgical Evaluation of Medical Refractory Epilepsy: A Technical Note$

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Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Neurology
Neurosurgery

Background:

Advances in neuroimaging and video electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring enhance the localization of the epileptogenic zone in epilepsy patients.
Despite improved surgical options, patient referral for epilepsy surgery assessment remains low.

Purpose of the Study:

To review patient selection criteria and pre-surgical investigations for epilepsy surgery.
To highlight the importance of early referral for surgical evaluation in drug-resistant epilepsy.

Main Methods:

Literature search of PubMed.
Inclusion of authors' clinical experience.

Main Results:

Surgical evaluation is indicated for epilepsy unresponsive to medication, after ruling out generalized epilepsy and pseudoresistance.
Multidisciplinary evaluation aims to precisely locate the epileptogenic zone using structural and functional imaging.
Successful epilepsy surgery requires removal of the epileptogenic zone without causing significant neurological or cognitive deficits.
Optimal outcomes are observed in patients with a clear morphological substrate, especially temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.

Conclusions:

Epilepsy surgery is increasingly vital for managing drug-resistant seizures.
Early referral of surgical candidates by physicians treating epilepsy is recommended.