Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy
06:58

A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy

Published on: July 12, 2021

5.8K

Circadian Rhythm and the Seasonal Variation in Childhood Febrile Seizure

Reza Sharafi1, Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad1, Vahid Aminzadeh1

  • 1Pediatrics Growth Disorders Research Center, School of Medicine, 17th Shahrivar Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

Iranian Journal of Child Neurology
|September 9, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Childhood febrile seizures (FS) show seasonal and circadian variations, with most occurring in winter afternoons. These patterns suggest a link between body temperature regulation and seizure occurrence in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Circadian Biology

Background:

  • Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common seizure type in childhood.
  • Understanding temporal patterns of FS is crucial for diagnosis and management.
  • Circadian rhythms and seasonal variations may influence physiological processes, potentially affecting seizure occurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the circadian rhythm and seasonal variations in childhood febrile seizures.
  • To analyze the diurnal and seasonal distribution of FS in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study analyzed patient records.
  • Data from 349 children (6-60 months) with simple FS were collected from January 2010 to January 2013.
  • Information included age, sex, temperature, seizure duration, season, month, diurnal variation, and consciousness level.

Main Results:

  • The study included 349 children (55.3% boys), with a mean age of 22.85 months.
  • The majority of FS occurred in winter (33.8%), in the afternoon (37.8%), and in January (15.8%).
  • Mean patient temperature was 38.45°C, and mean seizure duration was 97.91 seconds.

Conclusions:

  • Febrile seizures in children exhibit distinct temporal patterns, with increased incidence during specific times of day and year.
  • Circadian rhythms, potentially mediated by hypothalamic body temperature regulation, may influence the occurrence of febrile seizures.
  • Further research into the multifactorial nature of FS and the role of circadian rhythms is warranted.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenCircadian rhythmFebrile convulsionTemperature

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization09:57

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

Published on: September 20, 2024

3.7K
Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy10:22

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy

Published on: December 6, 2016

21.2K

Related Concept Videos

Patterns of Fever01:26

Patterns of Fever

Before understanding the types and patterns of fever, it is essential to know its phases.
4.0K
Seizures: Classification01:13

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:
1.8K
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

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...
1.5K
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
4.6K
Increased Body Temperature01:25

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above  38°C  (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in...
7.5K
Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses02:45

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
41.8K