What central nervous system physiologic changes occur during a seizure
During a seizure, cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization in the brain are increased.
There may be an accompanying increase in lactate and a decrease in pH, alterations in the concentration of neurotransmitters, an increase in extracellular potassium, and a decrease in extracellular calcium.
Generalized tonic–clonic seizures and most complex partial seizures activate the hypothalamus and increase serum prolactin, a finding that may help to differentiate epileptic from nonepileptic (psychogenic) seizures with prolactin level assays postictally.
Prolactin also may be elevated after syncope and hence cannot differentiate epileptic seizures from syncope.
