Patient Education
What is Epilepsy?
An epileptic seizure is a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures, and by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of this condition.
The definition of epilepsy requires the occurrence of at least one epileptic seizure.
Anything that injures a region of the brain can lead to a seizure focus, but in more than half of cases no such injury or cause for the seizures can be identified. We infer the presence in such cases of a subtle injury or an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain.
Seizures are divided into two categories:
- Partial (focal)
-
simple partial seizures (with no alteration of consciousness or memory)
-
complex partial seizures (with alteration of consciousness or memory)
-
- Generalized
Several conditions can result in abnormal movements, sensations, or loss of awareness, but not be associated with an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. These are imitators of epilepsy.
The most important issues for patients with epilepsy are social. Although physicians, in their clinic encounters with patients, talk most about seizure frequency, medication side effects, and results of testing, patients may have a different set of concerns.
Epilepsy is a condition affecting up to one percent of the world's population. Approximately five percent of people will have at least one seizure in their lifetime. Anyone can get epilepsy, from young babies to old men and women. Epilepsy can begin in old age as well as in childhood.
For more information about epilepsy, please visit www.epilepsy.com.