Does anyone know the neurological reason for absense epilepsy?

 

All I can find out on the net is that it's classified as generalised 3Hz waves on an EEG - but what exactly happens in the brain to cause this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absence_epilepsy < does that help?

i've looked at wikipaedia but it doesn't say what happens in the brain of someone who is having an absense seizure...

 

all i know is that it's a generalised seizure... so is absense epilepsy overactivity in the thalamus? ... or is it just overactivity in the cortex?

 

... anyone?

The epileptogenic electrical dysrhythmias can start with a focus almost anywhere and spead through the brain, but which section being affected produces this particular effect I don't know. Generally, the treatment is with the same group of anti-epileptic medications regardless of source, although some are supposed to be better for absences and some better for major seizures.

 

Mixing valproate and clonazepam in treating epilepsy, or in using them as mood-stabilisers in Bipolar Disorder, can induce absences.

 

Sometimes EEG studies can locate a specific trigger source that can be removed surgically, but more usually the origin of the dysrhythmia is diffuse.

i forgot about this thread...

 

i found out that absence epilepsy is thought to occur due to overactivity of the thalamocortical loop...

 

and i think the reason that valporate and clonazepam induces absence seizures is due to the mass inhibitory effect it will have...

 

since valporate increases GABA levels and benzodiazepines are allosteric modifiers of GABA-A receptors that increase frequency of their opening...