Seizures

These happen when part of the brain develops uncontrolled electrical activity, which stops the normal function of that part of the brain and produces the features that occur in the clinical seizure. The EEG recordings will pick up discharges and abnormalities over the area of brain affected, or even over the whole brain if the seizure becomes generalised.

In clinical seizures there is an obvious change that occurs for the person, during the seizure. This change just depends on what part of the brain is having the seizure and the person may twitch and jerk, or go blank for a few seconds or even experience a strange taste or smell.

In subclinical seizure activity there is no obvious change such as jerking, even though the EEG records electrical seizures. This does not mean the seizures are not having an effect on the person, but this effect may be on acquired skills such as language, social communication or abstract thought. In LKS, the main seizures are subclinical and occur during sleep.