Seizures

Seizures, which are the result of abnormal electrical discharges in an injured or scarred area of the brain, are fairly uncommon among people with MS. Their incidence has been estimated at 2% to 5%, compared to the estimated 3% incidence of seizures in the general population.

Seizures may take several forms:

• Generalized tonic-clonic seizures are brief episodes of unconsciousness with uncontrollable jerking movements of the extremities.
• Generalized absence seizures are momentary lapses of consciousness without abnormal movements. Partial complex seizures are periods of stereotyped repetitive activity. The person appears to be awake but does not respond to external stimuli.

Paroxsymal symptoms are brief sudden attacks of abnormal posturing of the extremities,loss of tone in the legs ("drop attacks") or other manifestations which may appear similar to a seizure.

Most Seizure Disorders Can Be Controlled by Medication

Seizures are usually diagnosed by the clinical history and an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is a recording of electrical activity in the brain. Most seizure disorders can be well controlled by use of the appropriate anticonvulsant medication, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol®) or diphenylhydantoin (Dilantin®) and continuing medical supervision.

Source - NMSS Information Resource Center and Library. Compendium of Multiple Sclerosis Information (CMSI). © 1997, National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Rev. 10/97