“Are Parkinson’s related seizures normal?”
My sister had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s for 18 years. She had a rapid and severe decline in health the last 1-2 years. In the last month of her life, she began experiencing seizures, which were increasing in severity and required hospitalization. We were told seizures were NOT a symptom of PD. Is it common in end-of-life patients?
Female | 69 years old
Complaint duration: I month before death
Medications: Lots!
Conditions: Parkinson’s Disease
2 Answers
Seizures are not seen usually in Parkinson's disease but can be seen in the later stages, especially towards the end of life.
No, seizures are not usually a part of Parkinson's disease. Seizures come from the outside layers of the brain (the cortex), and Parkinson's disease damages structures deep in the brain. Altzheimer's disease however, is very commonly associated with Parkinson's disease. Altzheimer's disease damages the cortex. The cortex dies back, so the normal feedback mechanisms are disrupted, and this may lead to seizures. The other tricky thing is that patients that need high doses of anti-Parkinson's medicines can have severe dyskinesias that can be misinterpreted as seizures. Patients with dyskinesias are conscious, aware, and can even follow commands. Dyskinesias are not seizures, though they may look like them.
