What is Aura Continua?

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The word aura was first used by Galen which is Greek word and meaning of it is breeze. Part of seizure previous to loss of consciousness is generally referred as aura. Aura continua may occur continuously after every min, hour or day. There is no loss of consciousness. It is sub type of nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Aura continua do not give rise to neurologic insufficiency. Most of the aura continua incident is related to some kind of lesion.

Types of Aura continua

Aura continua basically divided into following types.

• Somatosensory which involves chest, head and extremities.
  
• Aura continua with psychic symptoms
  
• Aura continua that involve the special senses like visual, hearing, gustatory, vertiginous and olfactory.
  
• Aura continua with predominantly autonomic symptoms
  
• An abdominal aura continuum is a special subtype which is found in children.

Disease associated with Aura continua

1. Focal epilepsies specific in temporal lobe epilepsy aura continua occurs mainly.
   
2. Symptomatic focal epilepsies.
   
3. A Hemicrania continuum is a headache disorder. Visual auras come first in exacerbations of pain.

What are signs and symptoms of Aura Continua?

There are various signs and symptoms of Aura continua. This signs and symptoms are totally depending on localization of the epileptic discharge. Symptoms may be linked with motor component depending on spread.

• Dysaesthesia
  
• Painful sensation
  
• Visual changes
  
• Fear or other features

How to diagnose aura continua?

• Seizure activity on the EEG and alteration in mental, autonomic or emotional status are mainly required in diagnosis of aura continua.
  
• Polygraphic video-EEG
  
• Ictal SPECT or ictal PET
  
• Neurologic or neuropsychologic examinations
  
• Response to antiepileptic drugs

What is treatment for of Aura Continua?

1. Balance between potential neurologic and IV antiepileptic drugs should be done in the treatment of aura continua.
   
2. Indomethacin is the best treatment for Hemicrania continua.
   
3. Partial status epilepticus or epilepsy partialis continua is well treated with diazepam
   
4. Clobazam, imidazobenzodiazepine, midazolam and lorazepam are antiepileptic drugs of first option.