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Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Convulsion - Seizure

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the injury?

Signs and symptoms of seizures vary according to the type of seizure and the portion of the brain that is affected.

Absence seizures used to be called petit mal seizures. They generally have the following characteristics:

include small movements of the face or eyes

involve staring into space or dulling of consciousness

last from a few seconds to a minute

are most common in children

Tonic-clonic seizures were formerly called grand mal seizures. These seizures often have the following characteristics:

begin suddenly without warning

cause confusion or fatigue the rest of the day

include jerking of the arms and legs

include loss of bladder control

involve stiffening of the body

last 1 to 2 minutes, with consciousness returning up to 15 minutes later

Atonic seizures may have the following characteristics:

involve a loss of muscle tone so the person drops to the ground without warning

last a few seconds

person may or may not lose consciousness

Myoclonic seizures generally have the following characteristics:

involve quick muscle jerking

may be triggered by too much alcohol or not enough sleep

usually don't cause loss of consciousness

usually happen in the early morning

Clonic seizures may have the following characteristics:

cause loss of consciousness

involve muscle jerking

are most common in childhood

Simple partial seizures usually have the following characteristics:

consciousness not changed

last a few seconds

may continue on to a complex partial seizure or generalized tonic-clonic seizure

may involve body movements

things in the environment may look, sound, feel, or taste differently

Complex partial seizures may include the following characteristics:

automatic behaviors, such as lip smacking or hand rubbing

confusion after the seizure is over

loss of contact with the environment, even though the person is still conscious

loss of memory for events that occur during the seizure

may go on to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure

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