What Happens If Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Goes Untreated 2

Untreated seizures can be a serious threat for those living with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and may lead to falls, head injuries and cognitive decline, altered behavior including increased aggression as well as loss of consciousness resulting in life-threatening injuries such as dislocated shoulders. Uncontrolled seizure activity should always be managed appropriately to minimize harm. Untreated TLE may progress to tonic-clonic seizures which cause loss of consciousness as well as life-threatening injuries such as dislocated shoulders.

Medication may help most patients with TLE manage seizures, but some patients cannot. When this is the case, doctors can suggest surgery to disable or remove parts of the brain causing seizures – but only at an epilepsy center with proven success rates for this procedure.

Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center has pioneered numerous surgical procedures for TLE. These procedures include resection surgery – which removes areas of brain where seizures originate – to address TLE. Electrodes can help surgeons pinpoint the source of seizure-causing areas so they can isolate just those responsible while sparing nearby vital functions. Deep brain stimulation was approved by the FDA as an alternative treatment option for TLE in adults aged 18 or older in 2018. Similar to pacemakers for the heart, this device implanted in the chest provides ongoing electrical stimulation to the thalamus network in the brain – blocking abnormal signals that cause seizures.

Patients living with TLE who fail to manage their seizures effectively often develop mood disorders like depression and anxiety, which can have devastating repercussions for relationships, work and quality of life. Parents whose children have epilepsy also often face considerable strain from increased medical appointments and missed earnings, putting significant financial strain on families.

Aggression in those with TLE may sometimes be reported, though its source could lie elsewhere – for instance in underlying mental conditions like antisocial personality disorder, low IQ, alcohol or drug abuse, cognitive decline, history of head trauma, vascular disorders or intellectual disability. People who have had head trauma or surgery or who have family histories of psychiatric conditions could be at greater risk of aggressive behaviour (Reference Kanemoto Kawasaki Mori 1999).

Many individuals with TLE find medication effective in controlling their seizures and improving their quality of life, in some cases even helping to stop having seizures completely or reduce frequency. If that fails to control them successfully, surgery might be the only solution – be sure to discuss all available treatments with your physician, making sure your surgeon has extensive experience performing your procedure, etc. To be safe, try two antiseizure drugs first before considering surgery as the last resort; having successful surgery ensures seizures won’t recur in future years.