Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Jun 2024)
Understanding of Consciousness in Absence Seizures: A Literature Review
Abstract
Emilie Groulx-Boivin,1,2 Tasha Bouchet,3 Kenneth A Myers1,2,4 1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 2Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 4Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaCorrespondence: Kenneth A Myers, Montreal Children’s Hospital, 1001 Décarie Blvd, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada, Tel +1 514-412-4466, Fax +1 514-412-4373, Email [email protected]: Absence seizures are classically associated with behavioral arrest and transient deficits in consciousness, yet substantial variability exists in the severity of the impairment. Despite several decades of research on the topic, the pathophysiology of absence seizures and the mechanisms underlying behavioral impairment remain unclear. Several rationales have been proposed including widespread cortical deactivation, reduced perception of external stimuli, and transient suspension of the default mode network, among others. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the neural correlates of impaired consciousness in absence seizures. We review evidence from studies using animal models of absence epilepsy, electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography, positron emission tomography, and single photon emission computed tomography.Keywords: awareness, electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, magnetoencephalography, fMRI, MEG, PET
