Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures

Seizures may occur as part of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Alcohol acts on the brain through various mechanisms that influence seizure threshold, including calcium and chloride ion flow through glutamate N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA-A) receptors. Chronic alcohol use results in adaptive changes to the effects of alcohol, and the seizure threshold is lowered as a rebound phenomenon when alcohol intake is stopped.