Seizure in Alzheimer's disease: an underestimated phenomenon

M Asadollahi, M Atazadeh… - American Journal of …, 2019 - journals.sagepub.com
American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias®, 2019journals.sagepub.com
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered as a potential risk factor for the development of
seizure due to neurodegeneration and imbalance between stimulatory and inhibitory circuits
in the brain. Seizure could occur in any point during the course of AD, and its presentation
varies from fluctuation in cognitive domains to more typical seizures. The clinical diagnosis
of seizure in patients with dementia may be challenging due to difficulty in history taking and
clinical assessment. No paraclinic methods other than electroencephalogram (EEG) could …
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is considered as a potential risk factor for the development of seizure due to neurodegeneration and imbalance between stimulatory and inhibitory circuits in the brain. Seizure could occur in any point during the course of AD, and its presentation varies from fluctuation in cognitive domains to more typical seizures. The clinical diagnosis of seizure in patients with dementia may be challenging due to difficulty in history taking and clinical assessment. No paraclinic methods other than electroencephalogram (EEG) could provide arguments for the diagnosis of AD-related seizures (neither imaging modalities nor cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers). Standard 30-minute EEG may not be sufficiently sensitive to detect epileptiform discharges. In the present study, we aim to review different aspects of seizure in AD, including seizure prevalence, risk factors, underlying mechanisms, electroencephalographic findings, clinical presentations, impact of seizures on AD, and treatment options.
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