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Related Concept Videos

Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

1.1K
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:
1.1K
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

923
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...
923
Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

1.3K
Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
1.3K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

643
Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
643
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

721
Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
721
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

996
γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for...
996

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
07:35

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

Published on: July 8, 2025

652

Functional Seizures.

Evie Marcolini1, Benjamin Tolchin2

  • 1Emergency Medicine and Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.

Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
|November 21, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Functional seizures, a type of functional neurologic disorder, mimic epileptic seizures but stem from biopsychosocial factors, not epilepsy. Psychotherapy offers an effective treatment for these disabling, non-epileptic events.

Keywords:
Dissociative seizuresFunctional neurologic disordersFunctional seizuresPNEAPNESPsychogenic nonepileptic seizures

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

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Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychosomatic Medicine

Background:

  • Functional seizures (FS) present a long-standing diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
  • FS are a common and disabling manifestation of functional neurologic disorder (FND), previously termed conversion disorder.
  • Unlike epileptic seizures, FS are not caused by abnormal epileptic discharges but by a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the nature of functional seizures.
  • To differentiate functional seizures from epileptic seizures.
  • To highlight effective treatment modalities for functional seizures.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical history evaluation.
  • Detailed analysis of seizure characteristics.
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) findings interpretation.

Main Results:

  • Functional seizures can be distinguished from epileptic seizures based on specific clinical and EEG criteria.
  • Symptoms are not consciously feigned by individuals experiencing functional seizures.
  • The biopsychosocial model provides a framework for understanding the etiology of functional seizures.

Conclusions:

  • Functional seizures are a distinct entity from epilepsy, rooted in functional neurologic disorders.
  • Accurate differentiation is achievable through comprehensive clinical assessment.
  • Psychotherapy demonstrates efficacy in managing and treating functional seizures.