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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Grand Mal Seizure - Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Seizures are caused by sudden, large discharges of electrical impulses from brain cells. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were formerly called grand mal seizures. They involve repeated convulsions, or jerking movements, of the limbs and trunk.
What is going on in the body?
Neurons are the nerve cells within the brain. They coordinate movement, thinking, personality, and sensory activities. Neurons communicate with each other through electrical discharges. A seizure occurs when excitable neurons give off abnormal electrical discharges. There are different types of seizures, depending on where the excitable neurons are located. Epilepsy is diagnosed when an individual has a repeating pattern of seizures.
Seizures are divided into two main types: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures affect the entire brain. The person loses consciousness or awareness of the environment. Partial seizures affect only one part of the brain. The individual usually doesn't lose consciousness. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures affect the whole brain.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Seizures have many causes. These may include conditions such as:
Diseases also can be a factor in seizures, such as:
Injuries that may cause seizures include the following:
Additional factors that may cause seizures include the following: