Temporal epilepsy

Temporal (frontotemporal) epilepsy is one of the forms of the disease in which the focus of epileptic activity is located in the temporal (medial or lateral) lobe of the cerebral cortex.

The causes of temporal epilepsy

The appearance of epilepsy of the temporal lobes is associated with a number of factors:

• perinatal:
• fetal hypoxia ;
• intrauterine infection (rubella, measles, syphilis, etc.);
• birth trauma;
• asphyxia of the newborn;
• focal cortical dysplasia;
• postnatal:
• craniocerebral trauma;
• neuroinfection ( brucellosis , neurosyphilis, tick-borne encephalitis, herpetic infection, purulent meningitis, etc.);
• hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke;
• tuberous sclerosis;
• intracerebral hematoma;
• cerebral aneurysm;
• tumors (glioma, angioma, etc.), etc.

Symptoms of temporal epilepsy

The debut of temporal epilepsy, depending on the causes that provoked it, can be observed at different ages. This form of the disease is characterized by attacks of three types:

1. Simple attacks. They differ in the preservation of consciousness and often precede other forms of attacks in the form of an aura. They can manifest themselves in the form of turning the eyes and the head towards the localization of the epileptic focus, in the form of taste or olfactory paroxysms, auditory and visual hallucinations, dizziness attacks. In some cases, epigastric, cardiac and respiratory somatosensory paroxysms are observed, manifested as abdominal pain, nausea, heartburn, a feeling of squeezing or bursting in the heart, and suffocation. There may be arrhythmias, chills, hyperhidrosis, feelings of fear. Violations of mental functions are manifested by the state of "waking up in reality", the sense of slowing or speeding up time, the appearance in the patient of the feeling that thoughts and the body do not belong to him.
2. Complex partial seizures. Flowing with the disconnection of consciousness and the absence of reactions to external stimuli. In some cases, there is a stopping of motor activity or a slow drop without seizures. Characteristic appearance of various automatisms - repetitive movements, patting, scratching, smacking, chewing, swallowing, frowning, blinking, laughing, repetition of individual sounds, sobbing, etc.
3. Secondary generalized seizures. Occur, as a rule, with the progression of the disease and proceed with loss of consciousness and cramps in all muscle groups.

Over time, the disease leads to mental emotional-personal and intellectual disorders. Patients with a temporal Epilepsy is characterized by sluggishness, forgetfulness, emotional instability and conflict. Women often have a disorder of the menstrual cycle and polycystic ovary.

Temporal epilepsy - treatment

The main goal of treatment is to reduce the frequency of relapses and achieve remission of the disease. Begin treatment with monotherapy, with the drug of the first choice is carbamazepine. With ineffective drug therapy, neurosurgical intervention is indicated.