To see what actually happens in the brain during a seizure, check out this video:
PLAY
Each part of the brain has a different job. Your seizure symptoms will be different, depending on which part of the brain is affected.
Select the name of the brain section below to see its function and how it relates to seizure symptoms:
×
Controls executive function and voluntary movement.
May have strange arm and leg movements or laugh or scream.
Integrates sensory information, including touch, temperature, pressure and pain
May feel numbness and tingling, but also a sensation of “pins and needles” and rarely crawling or itching
Major visual processing center in the brain.
Visual hallucinations (simple [colors, shapes]), more complex visual hallucinations (temporo-occipital), vision loss
Processes sensory information, particularly important for hearing, recognizing language, and forming memories.
May hear, see, smell, or taste things that aren't there, or experience the feeling of déjà vu
Seizures can be caused by many things. These include:
Epilepsy may be caused by a combination of these things. In many of those with epilepsy, the cause of epilepsy that leads to seizures is unknown.
