One study found that memory generally recovered
about an hour after a seizure
; however, note Fisher and Schacter in a 2000 review, “This does not explain why a considerable number of patients say they have trouble thinking for many hours or even days.”
Can seizures cause permanent memory loss?
Over time, repeated temporal
lobe seizures
can cause the part of the brain that’s responsible for learning and memory (hippocampus) to shrink. Brain cell loss in this area may cause memory problems.
How do you regain memory after a seizure?
- An indirect approach – improving memory by focusing on other factors such as seizure control.
- A direct approach – treating your memory either with medication or with strategies to change behaviors and how people remember things.
Can seizures cause permanent confusion?
Seizures can cause speech difficulty, confusion, spacing out or memory problems
. “A person suffering a seizure can look normal and awake, but they won’t respond to you,” Dr. Ergene said. “They may perform repetitive motions like lip smacking while they remain unresponsive for 30 seconds to a minute.”
How long can a seizure last before 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.
Why do you forget things after a seizure?
Research has shown that people with epilepsy are
prone to forget things more quickly than others
. In some situations, it may seem that information “goes in one ear and out the other.” This rapid rate of forgetting is thought to be the result of impairment in the ability to store or consolidate new information.
Can you get brain damage from a seizure?
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.
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).
What are the long term effects of a seizure?
Long lasting seizures, or status epilepticus, may also
cause brain damage or death
. People with epilepsy are eight times more likely than people without it to experience certain other chronic conditions, including dementia, migraine, heart disease, and depression.
What are the after effects of a seizure?
You may keep having some symptoms even after the seizure activity in your brain has stopped. This is because some symptoms are after-effects of a seizure, like
sleepiness, confusion, certain movements or being unable to move, and difficulty talking or thinking normally
.
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.
Will I ever get memory back after seizure?
You may have difficulty remembering information straight after a seizure. This is sometimes called post-ictal confusion and it
usually goes away
once you have recovered. The length of time it takes for memory to return to normal can vary from person to person.
How long is too long to have a seizure?
A seizure that lasts
more than 5 minutes
, or having more than 1 within a 5 minute period is an emergency that requires immediate medical care.
Can a person remember having a seizure?
However, some people, although fully aware of what’s going on, find they can’t speak or move until the seizure is over. They remain awake and aware throughout. Sometimes they can talk quite normally to other people during the seizure. And they
can usually remember exactly what happened to them while it was going on
.
What are warning signs of a seizure?
- Staring.
- Jerking movements of the arms and legs.
- Stiffening of the body.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Breathing problems or stopping breathing.
- Loss of bowel or bladder control.
- Falling suddenly for no apparent reason, especially when associated with loss of consciousness.
Is seizures considered a disability?
To qualify for either SSI or SSDI, epileptic seizures have to occur regularly (see below). Because epilepsy is often controlled with medication, it is
not always a disabling illness
. Social Security examiners will want to see evidence that your condition is disabling even though you are taking your medication.
