Temporal lobe seizures start in the brain’s temporal lobes. They can make you feel strange emotions and have memory issues. Signs can be déjà vu, fear, lip smacking, swallowing or chewing, and moving fingers. The main causes are not always clear but may include brain scar, abnormal blood vessels, or genetic issues.
Medicine is the first choice for treating these seizures. If drugs don’t work, a doctor might suggest surgery. Always see a doctor if you have a seizure, especially if it lasts more than five minutes or comes with worrying signs.
Key Takeaways:
- Temporal lobe seizures happen in the brain’s temporal lobes, affecting emotions and memory.
- They may show as strange feelings, lip smacking, and other body movements.
- The main reasons are often not clear, but things like brain scars or genetic issues can play a role.
- Treating these seizures starts with medication. For some people, surgery might be needed.
- If your seizure lasts long or has strange signs, seeing a doctor is important.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Temporal Lobe Seizures
Temporal lobe seizures are known as focal seizures with impaired awareness. They show various symptoms. Before a seizure, someone might feel odd, known as an aura. Auras can be sudden emotions like fear or joy, a sense of déjà vu, weird odors or tastes, or a rising stomach feeling.
During a seizure, people might not know what’s around them. They might stare into space, do lip smacking, or move their hands a lot. After the seizure, they could be confused and find speaking hard.
Diagnosing these seizures needs a detailed look by doctors. They’ll ask about the seizures, how often they happen, and other symptoms. The doctor will check the nervous system with a physical exam. They might also do an EEG to check brain activity, an MRI to look for brain issues, and blood tests to find any health problems.
If you think a temporal lobe seizure happened to you or your child, or if the seizures change, get help right away. A doctor can accurately diagnose and choose the best treatment for the situation.
Common Symptoms of Temporal Lobe Seizures:
- Odd sensations or feelings (auras) before a seizure
- Sudden sense of fear or joy
- Feeling of déjà vu
- Strange odor or taste
- Rising sensation in the stomach
- Lack of awareness of surroundings during a seizure
- Blank stares
- Lip smacking or repetitive hand movements
- Confusion and trouble speaking after a seizure
Causes and Treatment Options for Temporal Lobe Seizures
Temporal lobe seizures’ exact cause is often a mystery. But, we know several things that can make them more likely. These include things like head injuries, brain infections, and genetic conditions. Knowing what leads to these seizures is key to treating them.
Treating these seizures often starts with medicines called antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). AEDs work by calming unusual brain activity. It’s important to team up with a doctor to pick the best AED and dosage for you. If medicines don’t work well or have bad side effects, surgery might be an option. Surgeons can remove the part of the brain causing the seizures.
There’s also hope in stem cell therapy for managing these seizures. This newer approach targets the brain’s function and structure. It looks to repair nerve pathways and control unusual brain signals. Stem cell treatment is still being looked into, with a goal to make it safe and effective for people with temporal lobe seizures.