Sudden, uncontrolled body movements and changes in behavior that occur because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Symptoms include loss of awareness, changes in emotion, loss of muscle control, and shaking. Seizures may be caused by drugs, high fevers, head injuries, and certain diseases, such as epilepsy.

Signs and symptoms
The clinical signs and symptoms of seizures depend on the location of the epileptic discharges in the cerebral cortex and the extent and pattern of the propagation of the epileptic discharge in the brain. A key feature of epileptic seizures is their stereotypic nature.

Questions that help clarify the type of seizure include the following:
Was any warning noted before the spell? If so, what kind of warning occurred?
What did the patient do during the spell?
Was the patient able to relate to the environment during the spell and/or does the patient have recollection of the spell?
How did the patient feel after the spell? How long did it take for the patient to get back to baseline condition?
How long did the spell last?
How frequent do the spells occur?
Are any precipitants associated with the spells?
Has the patient shown any response to therapy for the spells?

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of epileptic seizures is made by analyzing the patient's detailed clinical history and by performing ancillary tests for confirmation. Physical examination helps in the diagnosis of specific epileptic syndromes that cause abnormal findings, such as dermatologic abnormalities (eg, patients with intractable generalized tonic-clonic seizures for years are likely to have injuries requiring stitches).