What are temporal lobe seizures?

Temporal lobe seizures are a type of epilepsy that originates in the temporal lobes of the brain, particularly affecting medial structures such as the amygdala and hippocampus. These seizures can manifest with unique symptoms due to their specific brain origin. Commonly, individuals might experience unusual sensory perceptions like a metallic taste or a smell reminiscent of burning toast. Temporal lobe seizures can also trigger psychological phenomena such as déjà vu, or feelings of anxiety due to the involvement of the amygdala and hippocampus, which are critical for learning, memory, and emotional processing. These varied manifestations are due to the close proximity of brain areas responsible for these functions 1.