Seizures arising from the temporal lobe of the brain, for example, may consist of “staring spells,” lip-smacking and hand fidgeting, whereas those that arise from the frontal lobe may consist of complex, movements of the head, arms and/or legs.  As seizures spread from one part of the brain to another, their appearance may change and eventually “generalized” convulsions may occur, which may be associated stiffening and/or repetitive shaking, and with a loss of consciousness.  Some types of seizures are generalized from the get-go. 

Sometimes the lead-up to a seizure may consist of an “aura,” which is an experience of a certain sensation or emotion (such as a particular smell or sense of anxiety / fear, in temporal lobe epilepsy).  After a seizure, patients may experience a “post-ictal” phase in which they feel exhausted and may not have any memory of the event.

Because of the complex nature of epilepsy, determining whether surgery is potentially a good option, and then determining what type of surgery is best, requires an in-depth, highly-specialized evaluation by a dedicated team of epileptologists (neurologists who specialize in epilepsy), neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, radiologists and others.  Brown University Neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital is part of a Level 4 epilepsy center (the highest designation available), meaning the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic options are available.  We work as a team to design optimal treatment strategies tailored to the condition and needs of each individual patient.