If you look inside the brain during the seizure, it resembles a full-on lightning storm. The brain contains billions of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate with each other by creating and receiving electrical impulses.
When someone comes to the emergency room with a seizure, doctors need to determine if the seizure was a one-time, correctable event, if there’s a chance the person may have another seizure, or if they may have a condition called epilepsy.
Dr. Kandula is a neurologist specializing in seizures and epilepsy at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City.
References
Kiriakopoulos, E. (n.d.). Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES): cause, diagnosis and treatment. Epilepsy Foundation.
Schachter, S.C. (2022). Seizures in adults (beyond the basics). UpToDate.
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