What is frontal epilepsy?

Frontal lobe seizures are a common form of epilepsy, a neurological disorder in which clusters of brain cells send abnormal signals and cause seizures. These types of seizures stem from the front of the brain.

What does frontal lobe epilepsy affect?

A frontal lobe seizure is a form of partial (focal) epilepsy. The seizures start in the front part of your brain, behind your forehead. They often happen at night, causing sleep disturbances or behavior changes. Treatments include medication, diet modifications, electrical stimulation or surgery.

What is the function of the frontal lobe of the brain?

The frontal lobes are important for voluntary movement, expressive language and for managing higher level executive functions. Executive functions refer to a collection of cognitive skills including the capacity to plan, organise, initiate, self-monitor and control one’s responses in order to achieve a goal.

What does epilepsy do to the brain?

In epilepsy the brain’s electrical rhythms have a tendency to become imbalanced, resulting in recurrent seizures. In patients with seizures, the normal electrical pattern is disrupted by sudden and synchronized bursts of electrical energy that may briefly affect their consciousness, movements or sensations.

What seizure types are common for the frontal lobe involvement?

Subtypes of frontal lobe seizures

  • Primary sensorimotor cortex. Seizures are focal motor seizures characterized by localized clonic, tonic-clonic, tonic or myoclonic activity.
  • Supplementary sensorimotor cortex.
  • Orbitofrontal cortex.
  • Frontopolar cortex.
  • Dorsolateral frontal cortex.
  • Cingulate cortex.
  • Fronto-parietal operculum.

Is frontal lobe epilepsy a disability?

Adults with epilepsy may be eligible for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI, for those who paid taxes into the Social Security system) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI, for low-income people). To qualify for either SSI or SSDI, epileptic seizures have to occur regularly (see below).

How does the frontal lobe affect behavior?

As a whole, the frontal lobe is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as memory, emotions, impulse control, problem solving, social interaction, and motor function. Damage to the neurons or tissue of the frontal lobe can lead to personality changes, difficulty concentrating or planning, and impulsivity.

What emotions does the frontal lobe control?

The frontal lobe is the largest lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe plays a role in regulating emotions in interpersonal relationships and social situations. These include positive (happiness, gratitude, satisfaction) as well as negative (anger, jealousy, pain, sadness) emotions.

What part of the brain is affected in epilepsy?

The temporal lobes are the areas of the brain that most commonly give rise to seizures. The mesial portion (middle) of both temporal lobes is very important in epilepsy — it is frequently the source of seizures and can be prone to damage or scarring.

How is frontal lobe epilepsy diagnosed?

Electroencephalogram (EEG). An EEG monitors the electrical activity in your brain via a series of electrodes attached to your scalp. EEGs are often helpful in diagnosing some types of epilepsy, but results can be normal in frontal lobe epilepsy.