References
The information used in this creation of this website was found in:
- "Practical Guide to Epilepsy" by Mark Manford (Elsevier, 2003)
- "Handbook of Epilepsy Treatment" by Simon Shorvon (Blackwell publishing, 2nd edition)
- https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1184846-overview
- https://www.epilepsyresearch.org.uk/
- https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/
- https://neurology.health-cares.net/epilepsy-seizures.php
- https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Epilepsy/Pages/Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/What-is-it.aspx
- https://www.hindu.com
Glossary
Action Potential - transient burst of electrical activity in neurons created and patterned by the regulated flux of endogenous ions
Anti-convulsants - drugs which act to suppress seizures
Atkins diet - Diet lacking carbohydrate
Atriovenous malformations - Anastomisations of arteries and veins
Blood brain barrier - structure surrounding the brain which resticts the passage of some molecules
Calcium buffers - protiens which sequester Calcium ions
Cavernous malformations - form of well defined grossly large lesion
Convulsion - Tonic, clonic or grand mal seizure
Cortical slice - Section of live cerebral cortex used for experimental and observational purposes
Cryptogenic seizures - stem from unknown causes
Depolarization - Increase in membrane potential
Efficacy - capacity with which a drug is able to yeild an effect
Electro convulsive therapy - medical treatment of neural disfunction by the application of electric currents accross the brain
Episodic dyscontrol - sudden violent behaviour with psychological causes.
EPSP - potentiation of post synaptic afferents, priming for action potential generation
GABA - primary inhibitory neurotransmitter of the CNS
General seizure - Seizure with multiple points of cerebral origin
George Inness - American landscape painter in the 1800s
Glutamate - Primary excitatory neurtransmitter of the CNS
H current - ionic current with roles resting membrane potential, hyperpolarisation and pacemaker activity.
Hyperpolarization - Decrease in membrane potential
Hypersynchronisation - Excessive level of simultaneous activity within neural populations
Idiopathic seizures - stem from genetic defects
intra nasal - drug administration via the nose
Intramuscular - drug administrationin muscle
Intravenous - drug administration in vien
Julius Caesar - First dictator of the Roman republic
Ketogenic diet - High fat, low carbohydrate diet
L channels - form of calcium channel
Lesion - localised pathological change in tissue
Lesionecomy - Surgical removal of lesions
Ligand - Molecule that may be bound by a receptor protien
Long term potentiation - Long lasting increase in the level of a neurons excitability
N channels - form of calcium channel
Neil Young - country / rock musiscian
Neuron - electrically excitable cells of the CNS and peripheral nervous system
NMDA receptor - Cation channel that opens in response to Glutamate
Obsessive compulsive disorder - mental disorder characterised by compulsive thoughts and behaviour
Partial seizure - Seizure origionating from one focal point
Pharmokinetics - movement of a drug through a given system
Psychiatric disorders - mental or emotional disorders
Psychic manifesations - seizure symptoms relating to changes in emotion
Refractory period - period between action potentials when they are prevented
Resection - surgical removal of tissue
Resting membrane potential - around -70mV
Sodium Calcium ATPase exchaner - using ATP as a substrate for phosphorylations, pumps 3 sodium ions out of the cell and 1 calcium ion in.
Status epilepticus - Seizures persisting > 30 minutes
Symptomatic seizures - stem from anatomical defects
T channels - form of calcium channel
Vladamir Lenin - Figurehead of the first Russian revolution
Wally Lewis - prominent australian rugby player
For classifications of seizure please refer to the "Seizure Clasifications" page.