visual epilepsy

visual epilepsy
   A term used to denote arelatively rare type of epilepsy in which a *visual aura is either the initial or sole ictal manifestation. Phenomenologically, epileptic visual aurae typically consist of *photopsias or *simple hallucinations consisting of multiple dots, spots, disks, stars, balls of light, * halos, streaks, and sometimes * fortification spectra. These aurae are often in colour. They may be stationary, but they are often described as flickering, pulsating, twinkling, expanding, contracting, or otherwise moving. Even rarer are * complex hallucinations, * illusions, * metamorphopsias, and distortions of colour. The duration of these epileptic visual aurae tends to be of the order of seconds rather than minutes. Pathophysiologically, visual epilepsy is associated chiefly with irritative activation of neural circuits within the visual pathways. Etiologically, it is associated primarily with conditions such as tumours, developmental malformations, and traumatic injuries.
   References
   Wilkinson, F. (2004). Auras and other hallucinations: Windows on the visual brain. Progress in Brain Research, 144, 305-320.

Dictionary of Hallucinations. . 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • visual epilepsy — sensory epilepsy in which there are visual hallucinations such as flashes of light or colors …   Medical dictionary

  • visual aura —    Formerly known as suffusio. The term visual aura is indebted to the Greek noun aura, which means wind, breeze, or smell. It is used to denote an *aura experienced in the visual modality. The earliest known written account of a visual aura… …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • Epilepsy — Epileptic redirects here. For the graphic novel, see Epileptic (graphic novel). Epilepsia redirects here. For the journal, see Epilepsia (journal). Epilepsy Classification and external resources Generalized 3 Hz spike and wave discharges in EEG …   Wikipedia

  • Epilepsy — (seizure disorder): When nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses at a rate of up to four times higher than normal, this causes a sort of electrical storm in the brain, known as a seizure. A pattern of repeated seizures is referred to as …   Medical dictionary

  • epilepsy and hallucinations —    The term epilepsy comes from the Greek verb epilambanein (to attack). It refers to a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. The introduction of the term epilepsy is generally attributed to the Persian physician and… …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • epilepsy — /ep euh lep see/, n. Pathol. a disorder of the nervous system, characterized either by mild, episodic loss of attention or sleepiness (petit mal) or by severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal). [1570 80; < LL epilepsia < Gk… …   Universalium

  • visual perseveration —    Also known as perseveration. Both terms are indebted to the Latin verb perseverare,which means to maintain or to keep on stating. The term visual perseveration was introduced in or shortly before 1949 by the British neurologist Macdonald… …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • Photosensitive epilepsy — is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.IncidenceOf all persons who have been diagnosed as epileptic …   Wikipedia

  • Cortical visual impairment — (CVI) is a form of visual impairment that is caused by a brain problem rather than an eye problem. (The latter is sometimes termed ocular visual impairment when discussed in contrast to cortical visual impairment.) Some people have both CVI and a …   Wikipedia

  • Temporal lobe epilepsy — Classification and external resources Lobe of the brain ICD 10 G40 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”