BIOM2071 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Partial Seizure, Clonus, Ethosuximide
Document Summary
Epilepsy: diseases characterised by unprovoked/provoked recurring seizures, seizure: hypersynchronous hyperexcitability of neurons, diagnosis: electroencephalography (eeg) show electrical activity between two electrodes (potential difference between 2 points, often genetic, and many multigenetic (several genes involved) Injuries common (from objects around patient, tongue biting, falling) Initiated by simultaneous firing of neurons in brain site of pathological discharge determines symptoms (eg. motor vs sensory cortex: sensory seizures: abnormal gustatory, olfactory, auditory and visual sensations. Antiepileptic drugs: blockade of hyperexcitability, consequences: memory loss, drowsiness, etc. Phenytoin: 2nd line drug for focal seizures, moa: use-dependent sodium channel blockade, teratogenic effects: skeletal, cns, limb and orofacial malformations. Induces p-450 isozymes and bread down other drugs faster (eg. contraceptives) Lamotrigine: novel aed approved for monotherapy, moa: na channel blocker, pk: slow titration schedule, not enzyme inducer little interaction with other drugs = few adverse effects, teratogenic: risk for oral clefts.
