seizures and blood vessels/ blood flow to brain?

[Krista2882]

I had an MRA (an MRI that focuses on the blood vessels of the brain) because my mom had a brain aneurysm that burst last year and her doctor suggested that me and my brother get checked because it might be hereditary. Anyway, I had that done last week. It came back normal (no aneurysms. yay!). But I got a copy of the report myself because all I hear back from my doctor is "normal". Anyway, a comment on the report said "Vertebral arteries are codominant". I've been having trouble finding out what exactly this means. It seems like it means that these two arteries are usually different sizes, but mine are both the same size... and after more searching I found another scientific paper suggesting that if they are the same size, it might be because the one that's normally smaller has developed to be larger because of an increased need of blood flow to a certain part of the brain.
Anyway, stuff like this always gets me thinking. Just wondering if, if it's due to a certain part of my brain needing more blood flow, if that's the part where my seizures originate from.
Hmmm.. something to wonder about. onder:
Anyone know of any relation between seizures and blood flow within the brain?

 

[Nakamova]

There's definitely a relationship between the seizures and cerebral blood flow but as with many relationships... it's complicated. During most seizures, the blood flow increases in the area of the brain where the seizure begins. But in between seizures the blood flow can be significantly less than normal in the part of the brain where seizures begin. And with absence seizures, there's less blood flow in the area during the seizure, rather than more.

There isn't a ton of data overall though, and it's unclear whether having many seizures over time would gradually cause the size of the artery to change. It does seem that having restricted blood flow can lower the seizure threshold.

 

[Krista2882]

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[Chaz1]

omega-3 boosts blood flow to the brain....I wont attach Net links, they are endless.

 

[elizzza811]

I had a SPECT scan done years prior to my seizure diagnosis (I was having seizures during this time period - just undiagnosed), and mine showed reduced blood flow to certain areas of my brain. Funny thing is that one of my chief complaints at the time I started hammering doctors again for answers was it felt as if my head was 'draining' properly...I even used those very words. In fact, I'd even demanded an MRA because I worried that there was a clot or a bleed. What's even funnier is that leading up to a seizure, this pressure (from increased blood flow?) was incessant and ever-increasing. Once a seizure occurred, it felt like ahhh...my brain was 'draining' again. Nakamova is right.