Can tonic-clonic seizures cause brain damage?

Usually, a seizure does not cause any lasting damage to the brain. However, having many seizures, or having seizures that are particularly severe, may cause a person to become more forgetful or find it difficult to concentrate. People with epilepsy have an increased risk of developing depression.

Can repeated seizures cause brain damage?

Prolonged seizures are clearly capable of injuring the brain. Isolated, brief seizures are likely to cause negative changes in brain function and possibly loss of specific brain cells.

What kind of brain damage can seizures cause?

Seizures, particularly repetitive seizures, cause substantial brain damage in highly susceptible areas, such as parts of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, amygdala, thalamus and other limbic structures; however, neuronal death after seizures can be more widespread and is generally quite variable (e.g., [24, 77]).

How long before a seizure causes brain damage?

However, experiencing a prolonged seizure can cause injury. These types of seizures are called status epilepticus. Permanent neurological damage can happen after about 30 minutes of status epilepticus due to prolonged abnormal electrical activity in the affected area of the brain.

Can tonic-clonic seizures go away?

When tonic-clonic seizures happen in childhood, some children will outgrow their epilepsy. Others who are seizure-free for a year or two while taking seizure medicine may be able to come off medicine slowly.

How long do tonic-clonic seizures last?

Tonic-clonic seizures last between one and three minutes. Any seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes will need medical attention.

What is the life expectancy of a person with seizures?

Reduction in life expectancy can be up to 2 years for people with a diagnosis of idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy, and the reduction can be up to 10 years in people with symptomatic epilepsy. Reductions in life expectancy are highest at the time of diagnosis and diminish with time.

Can brain damage from seizures be reversed?

Our findings suggest that seizures caused cognitive dysfunction and neuronal damage that might be related, at least in part, to the neurological problems presented by epileptic patients. AA can reverse cognitive dysfunction observed in rats with seizures as well as decrease neuronal injury in rat hippocampus.

Can seizures cause personality changes?

When epilepsy affects you for long periods, you may notice changes in your behavior, your feelings, and in how you see the world. Feelings of depression or anxiety are especially common. A few people with epilepsy experience psychosis (losing contact with reality).

Should I go to ER after seizure?

Most seizures last between 30 seconds and two minutes and will not require any emergency medical attention. However, if someone is experiencing a seizure that lasts longer than two minutes, or they lose consciousness and it does not come back right after the seizure, you should call 911 right away.

Can tonic clonic seizures be cured?

Tonic-clonic seizures tend to resolve on their own. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, it’s considered a medical emergency.