Alcohol-Induced Seizures: Can Drinking Cause Seizures?

Support 1 February 27, 2021 Sober living No Comments

The emerging understanding of the neurobiology of alcohol withdrawal suggests additional treatment approaches. These seizures are mediated largely in the brainstem, although the hippocampus may be invaded after seizure initiation (10). Similarly, in humans, epileptiform activity is rarely observed in the EEG between episodes of alcohol withdrawal–related tonic–clonic seizures (12,13). Indeed, electrophysiological studies have demonstrated a critical role for the inferior colliculus (IC) in the initiation of audiogenic seizures in rodents. The IC external cortex is believed to amplify and propagate neuronal activity originating in the IC central nucleus. Neurons within the deep layers of the superior colliculus (16) and the periaqueductal gray (17) also may play a role in the initiation of audiogenic seizures.

Health Conditions

While managing your drinking can help you avoid seizures, drinking in moderation can lead to more drinking, creating a risk of developing addiction and dependence. It’s also important to understand that quitting alcohol after a period of alcohol abuse or misuse may be harder for people diagnosed with epilepsy than it is for those without it. Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or higher.

It can also occur when an alcoholic suddenly stops drinking and experiences alcohol withdrawal.
People who use alcohol often wonder if alcohol can cause seizures and what the risks are.
They are characterised by violent muscle contractions throughout the body, loss of consciousness, and convulsions.
In the post-alcohol state, however, when alcohol blood levels decline, neuronal excitability is increased which may facilitate the occurrence of seizures in patients with epilepsy (6, 7).

Related Conditions

Alcohol affects calcium and chloride flux through the ion-gated glutamate NMDA and GABA receptors. The GABA receptors in particular have a relaxing influence on the brain, and drinking enhances their effects, leading to a state of central nervous system depression. While moderate drinking can have a calming effect, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to over-inhibition of the central nervous system, resulting in conditions that increase the likelihood of seizures. People with epilepsy should consult their doctor before using alcohol, as alcohol can affect epilepsy medications. Alcohol use can also trigger seizures in people with epilepsy if withdrawal symptoms begin to occur.

Alcohol acts on the brain through several mechanisms that influence seizure thresholds, including effects on calcium and chloride flux through the ion-gated glutamate NMDA and GABA receptors. During prolonged intoxication, the central nervous system (CNS) adapts to the depressant effects of alcohol by increasing activity in certain neurotransmitter systems to maintain balance. However, when alcohol is abruptly removed, the body’s equilibrium is disrupted, leading to a cascade of withdrawal symptoms, including seizures. These alcohol withdrawal seizures typically occur within 6 to 48 hours after the last drink, but the timing can vary depending on individual drinking history and health factors. While alcohol is generally not considered a direct cause of seizures in most individuals, acute intoxication—characterized by high blood alcohol levels—can, in rare cases, trigger seizures.

Alcohol and some antiseizure medications can have similar side effects, and taking them together can cause potentially dangerous complications.
Developing a tolerance for alcohol has a direct impact on the central nervous system.
For this reason, if you do choose to drink, it’s important that you pay attention to your seizure activity for up to three days afterward.
” This can be confusing — especially if you or someone you love has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy and is deciding whether or not to drink.
In a 2020 study, research found that the risk of SUDEP was twice as high in people with a history of alcohol dependence or substance misuse disorder.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption (Alcohol Poisoning)

One of the primary ways alcohol affects the brain is by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neuronal excitability. While this can initially produce sedative and anxiolytic effects, chronic or excessive alcohol use can lead to adaptive changes in GABA receptors, making the brain less responsive to its inhibitory effects over time. This reduction in GABAergic inhibition can paradoxically increase neuronal excitability, creating a pro-convulsant environment.

Can Alcohol Withdrawal Cause a Seizure?

The intravenous formulation is gaining acceptance in the clinical management of status epilepticus so that it could potentially be used in prophylaxis against alcohol withdrawal seizures. Increasing interest is expressed in the potential of gabapentin as a treatment for alcohol withdrawal (74–78) and of topiramate in alcohol dependence (79). Developing a tolerance for alcohol has a direct impact on the central nervous system. For abusers, the cessation of drinking can significantly increase the seizure threshold. There is no definitive cutoff for what amount of alcohol you have to drink to experience withdrawal symptoms that increase the risk of seizures.

Reduced sleep quality and consecutive sleep deprivation have long been discussed to facilitate the occurrence of seizures in patients with epilepsy (31), and especially in those with generalized genetic epilepsy (32–34). Altered sleep architecture due to acute alcohol consumption constitutes a non-negligible and important co-factor for seizure risk in patients with epilepsy. Due to the retrospective design of the present study, we were not able to assess sleep quality prior to alcohol-related seizure occurrences. Future prospective research, e.g., using polysomnography, will be needed to provide insight into the complex relationship between alcohol consumption, altered sleep architecture and timely manifestation of seizures. People who drink large amounts of alcohol and suddenly stop are at a higher-than-usual risk of seizures. About 5 percent of people detoxing from alcohol abuse will have alcohol withdrawal seizures as part of the process of quitting drinking.

Patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal seizures should be admitted and closely monitored, with assessments conducted every 1 to 2 hours for up to 6 to 24 hours. The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, can be graded using the revised CIWA-Ar scale. In the past several years, dramatic advances have been made in understanding the short- and long-term effects of alcohol on the central nervous system. These advances have provided new insight into the pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal seizures. In contrast to epileptic seizures, alcohol withdrawal seizures originate in brainstem systems and involve unique cellular and molecular mechanisms. Newer agents, such as chlormethiazole, topiramate, gabapentin, and valproate are promising, but validation in controlled clinical trials is necessary.

This phenomenon is particularly relevant in individuals with epilepsy or those predisposed to seizures, as their brains may already be operating closer to the seizure threshold. Hangovers do not generally increase the risk of seizures, but they can play a role in seizures occurring. 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. Alcohol causes an initial spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a drop below normal levels for the next 12 hours. Between October 2008 and April 2010, consecutive patients treated at the Epilepsy Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin were informed about the study and invited to participate.

The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. Alcohol withdrawal seizures may begin within hours to days of stopping alcohol use or starting an alcohol detox. The timeframe will be different for everyone, but seizures will normally start within the first 72 hours.

These seizures may cause people to have unusual sensations or emotions, behave in unexpected ways, or experience convulsions or loss of consciousness. They are characterised by violent muscle contractions throughout the body, loss of consciousness, and convulsions. Flashing lights, especially repetitive on and off or patterns, may trigger a seizure. However, someone who is having an alcohol withdrawal seizure may not need any trigger other than stopping alcohol use.

FAQs About Alcohol-Related Seizures

Anyone who may experience alcohol withdrawal seizures should detox from alcohol using a medical detox. In a medical detox, you’re monitored by licensed medical professionals around-the-clock so they can help prevent seizures and immediately treat any seizures that develop. You can prevent alcohol seizures by avoiding binge drinking and moderating your drinking so alcohol dependence does not develop. Developing alcohol dependence means you drink enough to have withdrawal symptoms if you stop drinking.

Seizures typically happen within 6 to 48 hours after the last drink, but the exact timing can vary based on the individual’s drinking history and other health factors. Withdrawal seizures can begin within just a few hours after stopping drinking, or they can take up to 72 hours to start. Withdrawal is something that happens when your body has become dependent on the presence of drugs or alcohol. When you suddenly stop using that substance, your body goes through withdrawal symptoms as it adjusts to the absence of the addictive substance; this is why alcohol and seizures have a relationship with one another. If you are dependent on alcohol, it’s important to participate in a medically supervised detox program, which can help alleviate the risks of the situation.

The amount of alcohol intake before alcohol-related seizures was at least 7 standard drinks, or the equivalent of 1.4 liters of beer or 700 milliliters alcohol as a seizure trigger of wine. In almost all cases, seizures occurred within 12 hours of stopping alcohol consumption. In patients with generalized genetic epilepsy, seizures commonly manifest within 30 min after awakening. A transcranial magnetic stimulation study on patients with genetic generalized epilepsy demonstrated that motor cortex excitability was significantly increased in the early morning (24). However, other people with epilepsy find they can drink moderately without triggering a seizure.

Luckily, current research can help you make wise decisions about your relationship with alcohol. Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area. Status epilepticus is a medical emergency that may lead to lasting brain damage or death. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, seizures by themselves typically are not fatal. However, they may cause people to fall and sustain potentially serious injuries, such as head injuries.