partial seizures/music trigger/goosebumps?

[nvek]

After being seizure-free for 18 months I suddenly suffered a relapse of my partial complex seizure for no apparent reason. This was about two months ago. After three weeks of episodes at the rate of 5-6 an hour I was raging with frustration and my neurologist was completely flummoxed.

One night I sat down and reviewed my behaviour hour by hour, day by day of the previous month. What had changed? Then it struck me...

Lady Gaga.

I've listening to her music for years and dance music in general for decades and had never had a problem. What was new though was the TYPE of dance music I'd take up three weeks earlier - dubstep. Dubstep is noted for it's particularly harsh jarring style and extremely deep and often very irregular bass. I'd downloaded several dozen dubstep remixes of Gaga's songs over the previous three weeks and had been playing them fairly constantly. I'd also begun creating a mix of my own.

Stereo was switched off immediately, seizures ceased with 24 hours.

Finding a new pleasure in life and having it snatched from me just as quickly - grrrrrrrr.

Jules

 

[Nakamova]

That's interesting Jules -- there are definitely musical and rhythmic seizure triggers, and they seem to vary widely from person to person. I'm glad you've identified yours; it may feel hard to give up a favorite music, but it's a blessing that you've quickly found a way to avoid having seizures.

There can also be sounds or music that seem to play an anti-seizure role. you may find this link of interest: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f27/can-specific-sounds-make-you-feel-better-1238/

Best,
Nakamova

 

[petero]

After being seizure-free for 18 months I suddenly suffered a relapse of my partial complex seizure for no apparent reason. This was about two months ago. After three weeks of episodes at the rate of 5-6 an hour I was raging with frustration and my neurologist was completely flummoxed.

One night I sat down and reviewed my behaviour hour by hour, day by day of the previous month. What had changed? Then it struck me...

Lady Gaga.

I've listening to her music for years and dance music in general for decades and had never had a problem. What was new though was the TYPE of dance music I'd take up three weeks earlier - dubstep. Dubstep is noted for it's particularly harsh jarring style and extremely deep and often very irregular bass. I'd downloaded several dozen dubstep remixes of Gaga's songs over the previous three weeks and had been playing them fairly constantly. I'd also begun creating a mix of my own.

Stereo was switched off immediately, seizures ceased with 24 hours.

Finding a new pleasure in life and having it snatched from me just as quickly - grrrrrrrr.

Jules

something to note is that some newer music has gone into the 176000 bit rate range... with the advent of newer recording technology...
just something to consider also

 

[nvek]

Thanks Petox and Natamova.

One of the other features of the music which may be contributing to the seizures - the depth of the bass line.

In the "Paparazzi" Polar dubstep mix the bass hits 16.35 Hz - just off the "lowest range of human feeling" at 16Hz. I can't actually hear the note but following the pattern of the bass line he's using I know it must be in there. (Yes, I should stop listening to it, but the more I think about it the more intrigued I get!)

If anyone is interested - and obviously believes they will NOT be affected by it - I'll be happy to email them the file.

Cheers

Jules