ABPN Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders Flashcards

According to the 2017 ILAE classification, which of the following is correctly categorized as a focal seizure type?

Answer: Focal aware seizure

Focal aware seizure is the updated ILAE 2017 term for what was previously called a simple partial seizure, indicating preserved awareness during the event.

What EEG pattern is most characteristic of childhood absence epilepsy?

Answer: 3 Hz generalized spike-and-wave discharges

Childhood absence epilepsy classically produces 3 Hz generalized spike-and-wave discharges on EEG, often triggered by hyperventilation.

Which is the most common cause of new-onset epilepsy in adults over 60 years of age?

Answer: Cerebrovascular disease

Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is the leading identifiable cause of epilepsy in older adults, accounting for approximately 30-40% of cases.

A 22-year-old has brief morning myoclonic jerks shortly after awakening and occasional generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Which epilepsy syndrome is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer: Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) classically presents in adolescence or young adulthood with myoclonic jerks on awakening, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and absence seizures.

Which seizure type is characterized by a sudden loss of postural muscle tone, often causing the patient to fall?

Answer: Atonic seizure

Atonic seizures (drop attacks) involve sudden loss of muscle tone, causing abrupt falls; they are associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

According to current operational guidelines, status epilepticus is defined as a seizure lasting at least how long, or two seizures without return to baseline?

Answer: 5 minutes

Current guidelines (Trinka et al., 2015) define status epilepticus operationally as a seizure lasting ≥5 minutes or two or more seizures without recovery of consciousness between them.

Which neuroimaging modality is considered the gold standard for structural evaluation in patients with epilepsy?

Answer: MRI brain with epilepsy protocol

MRI with an epilepsy-specific protocol (thin cuts, FLAIR, T1 volumetric) is the gold standard for detecting structural abnormalities such as hippocampal sclerosis, cortical dysplasia, and tumors.