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Phylogenetic Development of Susceptibility to, and Symptomatology of Epileptic Seizures
Author(s) -
SERVÍT ZDENEK
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1959.tb04251.x
Subject(s) - clonus , tonic (physiology) , neuroscience , epilepsy , epileptic seizure , psychology , biology
SUMMARY Seizure susceptibility to pharmacological and electrical stimuli increases in the course of vertebrate phylogenesis. The pattern of a paroxysm of convulsions (a generalized epileptic seizure) changes during phylogenesis. At lower levels of phylogenetic development of the brain, this seizure consists of more prolonged convulsions without a clear differentiation of the clonic and tonic phase. A comparative study shows that at higher levels of development the typical form of this seizure occurs in three phases: clonic, tonic, clonic, consisting of an initial clonus, a tonic phase and a terminal clonus. Signs of differentiation of this form of seizure can be seen in amphibians, but it is fully developed only in reptiles and mammals. The tonic phase of convulsive seizure shortens with phylogenetic development of the brain. The pattern of more differentiated (automatic) epileptic seizures is determined by the physiological pattern of locomotion of the animal. The running forms of paroxysm are the most frequent forms of epileptic automatism in such animals where the rapid locomotion over long distances forms the physiological pattern of motion.