Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Practice Exam

What is a typical symptom associated with parietal lobe seizures?

1. Visual distortions

2. Memory loss

3. Paresthesia

4. Muscle twitching

The correct answer is: Paresthesia

The typical symptom associated with parietal lobe seizures is paresthesia, which is characterized by sensations such as tingling, prickling, or a 'pins and needles' feeling, often affecting different parts of the body. This occurs due to the role of the parietal lobe in processing sensory information from the body. When seizures originate in this area, they can disrupt normal sensory perception, leading to these abnormal sensations. The parietal lobe is integral to the sensory homunculus, where different body parts are represented. Therefore, seizure activity in this region can lead to sensory symptoms that are localized depending on which specific area of the parietal lobe is affected. Paresthesia can manifest in various ways, including in specific limbs or regions of the body, based on the site of the seizure focus. Visual distortions, memory loss, and muscle twitching, while potentially associated with other types of seizures or neurological conditions, are not typical focal symptoms directly stemming from parietal lobe seizures. Visual distortions are more commonly linked to occipital lobe seizures, memory loss could signify involvement of temporal lobe regions, and muscle twitching is often associated with motor cortex involvement but not specifically indicative of pariet