Someone with an alcohol withdrawal seizure may experience convulsions and lose consciousness. In people with epilepsy, drinking three or more drinks may increase the risk of seizures. Over 50% of alcohol withdrawal seizures may relate to additional risk factors, such as preexisting epilepsy, structural brain lesions, or drug use. According to a 2017 article, alcohol withdrawal seizures in those without epilepsy may occur 6–48 hours after a person consumes their last alcoholic drink.
Update on the Neurobiology of Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures
Consuming alcohol seems to be a common trigger for seizures in people with epilepsy. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a condition that occurs after an abrupt stopping of heavy drinking in people with alcohol use disorders (AUD). People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people who don’t.
- When alcohol intake is suddenly ceased, the brain, which has adapted to the constant presence of alcohol, enters a state of hyperexcitability.
- In most cases, alcohol affects these targets only at high, suprapharmacologic concentrations.
- Status epilepticus is a medical emergency and can lead to lasting, irreversible brain damage.
- Long-term drinking can lead to structural changes in the brain, altering its chemistry and function in ways that predispose individuals to seizure activity.
- Alcohol has the potential to enhance some side effects of anti-seizure medications, including drowsiness and dizziness.
Chronic Alcohol Use: Long-term drinking may cause structural brain changes, increasing seizure risk
Epilepsy can cause seizures to occur with more mild levels of alcohol withdrawal than would occur in most people. In fact, people struggling with chronic alcohol abuse increase their risk of developing seizures when they suddenly stop drinking. A study by The Recovery Village found heavy drinkers were 45% more likely than light or moderate drinkers to experience seizures during withdrawal and 73% more likely to have had a seizure in general. Managing epilepsy often involves a comprehensive approach, including medication, lifestyle adjustments, and understanding potential triggers. For those with a predisposition or a history of seizures, avoiding known triggers is crucial. While complete abstinence from alcohol may not be necessary for everyone, being mindful of its potential impact is essential.
Alcohol Detox Medications
Alcohol poisoning, in particular, can severely reduce blood sugar levels, leading to hypoglycemia, which is a known trigger for seizures. Alcohol poisoning can also lead to slow or absent breathing, resulting in hypoxia, a condition where the brain receives insufficient oxygen. The treatment of alcohol dependence should be prioritised to prevent further seizures and manage the underlying cause.
For individuals with epilepsy, the brain’s electrical activity is already susceptible to disruptions, leading to seizures. Alcohol, being a central nervous system depressant, can interfere with the brain’s normal functioning. When consumed, it affects various neurotransmitters and can alter the brain’s excitability. This alteration may lower the seizure threshold, making the brain more prone to abnormal electrical discharges, which are characteristic of seizures. Even a small amount of alcohol can potentially disrupt the delicate balance in the brain, triggering a seizure in someone with epilepsy or a predisposition.
- In susceptible individuals, such as those with epilepsy, a history of seizures, or underlying neurological conditions, even moderate alcohol consumption can pose a significant risk.
- The greatest risk of a seizure during a hangover is not due to the hangover itself but to the long-term blood sugar effects of alcohol.
- Similarly, studies in rodents have shown that repeated alcohol withdrawal experiences increase the severity and duration of subsequent withdrawal seizures (85,86).
- It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
Links to NCBI Databases
After the seizure, you should position them on their side and ensure that their airway is clear while waiting for emergency assistance. Alcohol withdrawal seizures can occur within a few hours or up to 72 hours after stopping drinking. According to older research, alcohol consumption may have a causal relationship with seizures, and people who drink 200 g or more of alcohol daily may have up to a 20-fold increase in seizure risk. When people stop consuming alcohol after chronic use, they lose the inhibitory effects of the GABA receptors, resulting in the central nervous system being overstimulated.
For Loved Ones: How to Support a Loved One’s Mental Health
In multivariate analysis, alcohol consumption within the last 12 months was independently related to AED monotherapy. It is highly likely that subjects with well-controlled epilepsies on monotherapy are more likely to consume alcoholic beverages than those with difficult-to-treat variants. Physicians’ advice that “a light alcohol intake is harmless” was identified as an additional predictor for alcohol use.
Symptoms may include sudden loss of consciousness, convulsions, muscle rigidity, and confusion. If someone experiences a seizure during acute intoxication, immediate medical attention is essential. Treatment typically involves stabilizing the individual, managing the seizure, and addressing the underlying alcohol toxicity. In severe cases, hospitalization may be alcohol as a seizure trigger required to monitor neurological status and prevent complications such as aspiration pneumonia or respiratory depression. Delirium tremens is a serious, life-threatening complication of alcohol withdrawal.
Patients with epilepsy may feel unsure about alcohol consumption on chronic medication and therefore may be willing to follow physicians’ advices more often. Independent predictors for the occurrence of alcohol-related seizures within the last 12 months in patients with epilepsy. The effect of alcohol on people with epilepsy will vary from person to person, even on the same medication. People with epilepsy who drink alcohol may also be less likely to adhere to their medication schedule. If you are especially sensitive to either your AED or alcohol, it may be best to avoid drinking while taking that particular medication. Most of these antiepileptic medications also have side effects that mimic those of alcohol.
It is hypothesized that seizure activity propagates from the IC to deep layers of the superior colliculus (a major output of the IC) to trigger the wild running phase of the audiogenic seizure. The deep layers of the superior colliculus send projections directly to the spinal cord via the pontine reticular formation and the periaqueductal gray. The periaqueductal gray is thought to trigger clonic seizures, whereas the pontine reticular formation is implicated in the generation of the tonic phase of audiogenic seizures (18). Some evidence suggests that the IC plays a role in alcohol withdrawal seizures in humans, as it does in rodents. Thus, humans with alcohol withdrawal seizures exhibit abnormalities in auditory-evoked potentials that are not observed in other settings, including increased latency to wave V (19,20), whose major source is the IC (21).
Although most people with alcohol-linked seizures experience them during withdrawal, others can get them while drinking heavily. Alcohol acts on receptors in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA receptors, which are closely linked to seizure risk. If you or a loved one has a history of seizures or alcohol withdrawal, learning about the link between drinking and seizures is important. Alcohol withdrawal seizures typically occur within 6 to 72 hours after the last drink, but the timing can vary depending on individual factors such as drinking history and health. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses a spectrum of drinking behaviors, from risky or harmful use to alcohol dependence.
As a general rule, the longer you have been drinking over time and the more you drink, the higher your risk for developing withdrawal symptoms, which may include seizures. The risk of alcohol-induced seizures is not limited to heavy or binge drinking episodes. While excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a well-known condition called ‘alcohol-related seizures,’ even moderate drinking can be a potential trigger. This is particularly relevant for individuals who have recently been diagnosed with epilepsy or are adjusting their medication, as their seizure thresholds might be more sensitive during these periods.