Neurological Patient Case - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Neurological Patient Case

Ashley FerenchakSlide2

The Case (taken from the curriculum)

A woman brings her 10-year-old son, Raymond, in to see you. He’s been overly aggressive and angry lately, but she has attributed this to her divorce from Raymond’s father. Last night, Raymond attended a party at his friend’s house. After a night of laser tag and little sleep, Raymond started shaking and convulsing. He stopped before his mom arrived, but she still wanted to get him checked out. Raymond does not really remember falling to the floor, but he does remember that he smelled a very unpleasant odor right before he went down.Slide3

Patient Symptoms and Complaints

Excess anger and aggressionShaking and convulsions

No memory of convulsions

Smelled unpleasant odor before convulsionSlide4

Linking Symptoms to Brain

Functions

Since three of the presented symptoms are related to the limbic system (smell, emotions, memory), the underlying condition

might

affect this part of the brain.

Convulsions

are often

caused by excess electrical activity in the brain, so the condition

might

come from some area of the brain or the entire brain.Slide5

Diagnosis

Epilepsy

Why?

Convulsions are a big clue; they are often related to some form of epilepsy

E

pilepsy can involve

the limbic system, which can cause the changes in emotion, smell, and impairment of memory during a

seizure. This could explain why the patient smelled a bad odor before going down and couldn’t remember the seizure.Slide6

Overview

Epilepsy is a condition caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. There are many different kinds of epilepsy and they each have their own sets of symptoms and seizure types. The type of epilepsy is determined by the area of the brain affected and the symptoms that it causes

. The causes of epilepsy vary; it can result from brain injuries or tumors, infections, strokes, or abnormal levels of certain substances in the body. However, many cases of epilepsy have no known cause.Slide7

Explanation

Epileptic seizures occur when neurons in the brain fire much too quickly and overload. A typical brain fires about 80 pulses per second. During an epileptic seizure, this number can increase to as high as 500. This electrical overload is what causes the symptoms of seizures (convulsions, loss of memory, strange sensations, etc). Epileptic seizures are often provoked by certain stimuli, including flashing lights, loud noises, stress, sleep deprivation, smoking and alcohol, and hormonal changes.Slide8

Treatment & Prognosis

Treatment for seizures often involves the use of oral antiepileptic drugs. However, since some cases of epilepsy don’t respond to medication, surgery to treat the condition may be another option. This surgery involves removing part of the hippocampus and sometimes the

amygdala

. However, half of children with

of

epilepsy simply outgrow the condition

. Most people with epilepsy will have a normal life span if treated properly.Slide9

Prognosis (continued)

People with epilepsy should also be careful in certain places and situations; having a seizure at the wrong time in the wrong place, such as while driving, can lead to an accident and serious injury or death. Epilepsy that goes untreated for a long period of time can also cause long-term brain damage from repeated seizures, so treatment as soon as possible is important, especially

for children.

People with epilepsy should be under the care of a neurologist or epileptologist (someone who specializes in treating those with epilepsy.)Slide10

Resources

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/epilepsy_temporallobe

http://symptoms.webmd.com/symptomchecker

http://

www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures

http://

www.ehow.com/how-does_4760175_a-seizure-occur.html

http://

www.webmd.com/epilepsy/guide/epilepsy-causes

Human Body Systems Curriculum (Activity 2.2.5)