Febrile seizures – Semiology in humans and animal models: Evidence of focality and heterogeneity

The relationship between febrile seizures and hippocampal sclerosis has been the subject of longstanding discussion. Animal models for prolonged seizures have shown a clear causal relationship with focal limbic features at low dose and hippocampal damage at high dose. Careful history taking of febrile seizure semiology has shown focal early features often with clear temporal lobe elements. This would suggest that many febrile seizures are secondarily generalised hippocampal seizures. There is evidence of varying levels of epileptogenicity in specific infective causes of febrile seizures. Seizure semiology also suggests that a proportion of such seizures may be non-epileptic reflex asystolic attacks. Seizure semiology in febrile seizures deserves closer scrutiny.