Epilepsy is a neurological disorder of the central nervous system. Brain activity occurs abnormally, causing unusual seizures, behaviors or sensations and sometimes loss of consciousness. These symptoms, together, constitute so-called epileptic seizures. Thus, the sensations felt by the person, still conscious, anticipating /announcing an attack are called epileptic auras.
Epileptic auras can consist of smelling or smelling strange, feeling fear, discomfort and even well-being; In many cases, epileptic auras are the antecedent of loss of consciousness, so on the positive side, they allow the person to protect themselves before the appearance. of the crisis.
- At the brain level.
- Epileptic auras are the result of altered activation of an area of the cerebral cortex.
- Due to abnormalities in neural discharges.
- These changes occur in a hemisphere.
- For a short period (a few seconds to several minutes) and localized.
- That is.
- Abnormal activation occurs in a specific functional area.
- Which will determine the characteristics of the aura.
How during the epileptic aura is the person conscious, presents himself?In just a few areas of the brain? Compared to a moment of total crisis?They are considered mere partial crises.
Therefore, although they usually occur in a timely manner, they can lead to a complex partial crisis, affecting consciousness and causing a widespread crisis.
Although there is often confusion in descriptions of different types, auras are classified according to the symptoms that occur, as they refer to the area where the seizure occurs.
In the event that abnormal activation is related to the autonomous system, the symptoms that will occur will be of this type, i. e. vomiting, tachycardia, goose bumps, paleness, etc. may occur.
In this group the most reported by patients are epigastric sensations, often associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, in this case sensations consist of abdominal pressure, empty stomach or nausea.
Experimental symptoms are related to changes in activation of the limbic areas and temporal cortex. Therefore, this set of symptoms affects memory, emotions and cognition, as well as causing perceptual illusions or sensory hallucinations.
They are also known as psychic auras and can sometimes be difficult to know if they are psychological or sensory in nature.
As for amnesic changes, memories may be distorted or a sense of familiarity (already seen), depersonalization or loss of achievement occurs. In the case of emotional auras associated with amygdala in middle frontal epilepsy, feelings of sadness, joy, pleasure or irritability. are described, as well as anxiety or fear of a heart attack.
Exclusively sensory auras affect certain senses. For example, auras associated with seizures in occipital or temporal areas involve spot sighting, changes in movement vision, and even blindness.
In the case of more complex visual areas visual hallucinations or tunnel vision occur, as well as auditory changes such as beeps, tinnitus or noise, or olfactory or taste auras.
Somatosensory auras can also be caused by parietal or frontal epilepsy, causing numbness, parstesia, feeling cold or hot, pain, etc.
These classifications of epileptic auras remain the subject of debate and controversy, as auras are generally defined as the sensations experienced by patients without clear visible signs, yet, in a descriptive way, motor, cephalic and erotic or sexual auras could be added to the typology.
Motor auras consist of muscle contractions, phonation disorders, chewing movements, etc. , however, these symptoms can be derived from other changes, such as psychic, autonomic or somatosensory auras.
In the case of cephalic auras, somatosensory auras were also considered, as the sensations involved are dizziness, weight or head pressure.
Finally, sexual auras are accompanied by sensations in the genitals, erotic sensations and even the so-called “orgasmic epilepsy”, which culminates in an orgasm, sometimes painful, in this case some authors consider it of a special type, and others include it in autonomous auras.
It is essential to consider that because of the variety of symptoms that may occur, epileptic auras can be confused with other clinical conditions, with cardiovascular disorders or panic attacks among the most common, however these symptoms can mask ORL disorders, severe mental disorders or serious mental disorders. substance poisoning.
Therefore, it is essential to receive a complete diagnosis with the right tools, well differentiating the symptoms and changes involved, as well as the type of latent focal epilepsy.