People having a gelastic seizure (GS) sound like they are laughing or mumbling. This is an uncontrolled reaction caused by unusual electrical activity in the part of the brain that controls these actions. Gelastic seizures are named after the greek word for laughter, "gelastikos."

What can trigger a Gelastic seizure?

A common cause of gelastic epilepsy is a small tumour in the hypothalamus. This tumour may be either a hamartoma or an astrocytoma. A hamartoma is a benign (non-cancerous) growth made up of an abnormal mixture of cells and tissues normally found in the area of the body where the growth occurs.

Are gelastic seizures harmful?

And when you typed in 'gelastic seizures,' benign brain tumor came up, and that's when the magnitude of it really hit us," Williams said. Left untreated, the laughing seizures caused by HH can cause long-term behavioral and cognitive damage. Some children grow up so debilitated that they live with their parents.

How do you know if you have gelastic seizures?

The main sign of a gelastic seizure is a sudden outburst of laughter with no apparent cause. The laughter may sound unpleasant and sardonic rather than joyful. The outburst usually lasts for less than a minute.

What would cause a seizure all of a sudden?

Anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. This includes a high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion.

UCLA Neurosurgeon Treats Boy with "Giggling Epilepsy" | UCLA Health Newsroom

22 related questions found

Can laughing be a seizure?

Gelastic seizures is the term used to describe focal or partial seizures with bouts of uncontrolled laughing or giggling. They are often called laughing seizures. The person may look like they are smiling or smirking. Dacrystic seizures are focal or partial seizures when a person makes a crying sound.

What can trigger a seizure?

What are some commonly reported triggers?

• Specific time of day or night.
• Sleep deprivation – overtired, not sleeping well, not getting enough sleep, disrupted sleep.
• Illness (both with and without fever)
• Flashing bright lights or patterns.
• Alcohol - including heavy alcohol use or alcohol withdrawl.

What does a Gelastic seizure sound like?

People having a gelastic seizure (GS) sound like they are laughing or mumbling. This is an uncontrolled reaction caused by unusual electrical activity in the part of the brain that controls these actions. Gelastic seizures are named after the greek word for laughter, "gelastikos."

What causes laughing for no reason?

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a condition that's characterized by episodes of sudden uncontrollable and inappropriate laughing or crying. Pseudobulbar affect typically occurs in people with certain neurological conditions or injuries, which might affect the way the brain controls emotion.

Why does my son laugh for no reason?

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a problem in the brain that causes you to laugh or cry for no reason. When you have PBA, sudden fits of tears or laughter can come from nowhere. This behavior usually has nothing to do with what you're doing or feeling. And it's something you can't control.

Can adults have Gelastic seizures?

Pure gelastic seizures can occur in adults although gelastic plus type seizures more often occur.

Why does my brother laugh for no reason?

People who have a brain injury or neurological disease can also develop sudden uncontrollable and exaggerated emotional outbursts. This condition is called pseudobulbar affect (PBA). If the person you care for suddenly begins to laugh or cry without reason or is unable to stop these emotional outbursts, they have PBA.

Why does my 2 year old laugh in his sleep?

For example, many researchers note that babies may twitch or smile in their sleep during active sleep. When babies go through this type of sleep, their bodies can make involuntary movements. These involuntary movements might contribute to smiles and laughter from babies during this time.

What does an autistic seizure look like?

Staring episodes (which could be signs of absence or atypical absence seizures) Stiffening (which could be a sign of tonic seizures) Rhythmic shaking or twitching (which could be a sign of focal aware/simple partial seizures)

Does seizures can be cured?

Sadly, there is no cure for epilepsy. There are, however, many treatments and therapies available to help patients with epilepsy become seizure-free, including medication, anti-seizure devices, and surgery.

What is LGS syndrome?

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a type of epilepsy. Patients with LGS experience many different types of seizures including: Tonic - stiffening of the body. Atonic - temporary loss of muscle tone and consciousness, causing the patient to fall.

What mental illness makes you laugh?

Pseudobulbar affect is a nervous system disorder that can make you laugh, cry, or become angry without being able to control when it happens. PBA has also been called: Emotional dysregulation.

Why do I laugh when someone gets hurt?

Laughing through something that's traumatic and painful is a way of convincing yourself (and therefore others) that you're alright, or at least on your way to being alright. It brings needed levity to an otherwise heavy situation — as if to say: false alarm!

How many people have Gelastic seizures?

Gelastic epilepsy is rare with only one in 1,000 children in epilepsy having this particular form of epilepsy. More boys than girls have this condition.

Do kids with ASD laugh?

Children with autism mainly produce one sort of laughter — voiced laughter, which has a tonal, song-like quality. This type of laughter is associated with positive emotions in typical controls. In the new study, researchers recorded the laughter of 15 children with autism and 15 typical children aged 8 to 10 years.

Can you cry during a seizure?

Crying is a rare feature of an epileptic seizure, and is more commonly a feature of a non-epileptic seizure. Focal emotional seizure with pleasure - characterized by the presence of a positive emotional experience with pleasure, bliss, joy, enhanced personal well-being, heightened self-awareness or ecstasy.

What foods can trigger seizures?

Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body's metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.

What are the 4 types of seizures?

Epilepsy is a common long-term brain condition. It causes seizures, which are bursts of electricity in the brain. There are four main types of epilepsy: focal, generalized, combination focal and generalized, and unknown. A person's seizure type determines what kind of epilepsy they have.

What are the 3 types of seizures?

There are now 3 major groups of seizures.

• Generalized onset seizures:
• Focal onset seizures:
• Unknown onset seizures: