Epilepsy

Definition
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) describe epilepsy as "a common brain condition that
causes repeated seizures."

Symptoms
The main symptom of epilepsy is recurrent seizures.
However, if a person experiences one or more of the following
symptoms, they should seek medical attention, as it may
indicate epilepsy:

 a convulsion with no fever

 short blackouts or confused memory
 intermittent fainting spells, during which they lose bowel
or bladder control, frequently followed by
extreme tiredness
 temporary unresponsiveness to instructions or questions
 sudden stiffness for no apparent reason
  sudden falling for no apparent reason
 sudden bouts of blinking without apparent stimuli
 sudden bouts of chewing without any clear reason
 temporarily seeming dazed and unable to communicate
 repetitive movements that seem involuntary
 fearfulness for no apparent reason
 panic or anger
 peculiar changes in senses, such as smell, touch, and
sound
 jerking arms, legs, or body, which will appear as a cluster
of rapid jerking movements in babies

It is vital to seek consultation with a doctor if any of these

symptoms occur repeatedly.

The following conditions may cause similar symptoms to

those above, so some people can mistake them for those of
epilepsy:

 high fever with epilepsy-like symptoms

 fainting
 narcolepsy, or recurring episodes of sleep during the day
 cataplexy, or periods of extreme muscle weakness
  sleep disorders
 nightmares
 panic attacks
 fugue state, a rare psychiatric condition in which a
person forgets details about their identity
 psychogenic seizures, or seizures with a psychological or
psychiatric cause

Treatment
There is currently no cure for most types of epilepsy.

A doctor may prescribe antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to help

prevent seizures. If these drugs do not work, some other
potential options include surgery, vagus nerve stimulation, or
a special diet.

Doctors' objective is to prevent further seizures. They also

aim to prevent side effects so that the person can lead an
active and productive life.
AEDs

AEDs appear to help control seizures in around 60–70% of

cases, according to the American Epilepsy Society. The type
of seizure a person has will decide which specific drug the
doctor will prescribe.

People take the majority of AEDs by mouth. Common

medications for treating epilepsy include:

 valproic acid
 carbamazepine
 lamotrigine
 levetiracetam

It is important to note that some drugs may prevent seizures

in one person but not in another. Also, even when a person
finds the right drug, it may take some time to find the ideal
dosage.

Surgery

If at least two medications have been ineffective in controlling

seizures, a doctor may consider recommending epilepsy
surgery. A 2013 study from Sweden found that 62% of adults
and 50% of children with epilepsy had no seizures for around
7 years after epilepsy surgery.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders

and Stroke, some surgical options include:

 Lobectomy: During this procedure, a surgeon will

remove the section of the brain in which seizures start.
This is the oldest type of epilepsy surgery.
 Multiple subpial transection: During this procedure, a
surgeon will make several cuts to limit seizures to one
part of the brain.
 Corpus callosotomy: A surgeon will cut the neural
connections between the two halves of the brain. This
prevents seizures from spreading from one side of the
brain to the other.
 Hemispherectomy: In extreme cases, a surgeon may
need to cut out a hemisphere, which is one half of the
cerebral cortex of the brain.

For some people, undergoing surgery may reduce the

frequency and severity of their seizures. However, it is often
important to continue taking antiseizure medication for several
years following the procedure.
Another surgical option is the implantation of a device in the
chest to stimulate the vagus nerve in the lower neck. The
device sends preprogrammed electrical stimulation to the
brain to help reduce seizures.

Diet

Diet may play a role in reducing seizures. A 2014 review of

research that appeared in the journal Neurology suggested
that high fat, low carbohydrate diets could benefit children and
adults with epilepsy.

Five of the studies in the review used the ketogenic diet, while

another five used a modified Atkins diet. Typical foods in
these diets include eggs, bacon, avocados, cheese, nuts, fish,
and certain fruits and vegetables.

The review found that 32% of study participants adhering to

the ketogenic diet and 29% of those following the
modified Atkins diet experienced at least a 50% drop in the
regularity of seizures. However, many participants had
difficulty maintaining these diets.

Specific diets may be beneficial in some cases, but more

research is needed to confirm this.
Learn more about the study and the effect of diet on epilepsy
here.

Causes
Messaging systems in the brain control every function in the
human body. Epilepsy develops due to a disruption in this
system, which may result from brain dysfunction.

In many cases, healthcare professionals will not know the

exact cause. Some people inherit genetic factors that make
epilepsy more likely to occur. Other factors that may increase
the risk include:

 head trauma, such as from a vehicle accident

 brain conditions, including stroke and tumors
 infectious diseases, such as viral encephalitis
 cysticercosis
 AIDS
 prenatal injury or brain damage that occurs before birth
 developmental conditions,
including autism and neurofibromatosis
According to the CDC, epilepsy is most likely to develop in
children under 2 years and adults over 65 years.

Is epilepsy common?

In 2015, the CDC stated that epilepsy affected around 1.2% of

the United States population. That amounts to approximately
3.4 million people, including 3 million adults and 470,000
children.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that epilepsy

affects approximately 50 million people worldwide.

What is Epilepsy?
comments561

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS

 Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages.

 Epilepsy means the same thing as "seizure disorders."

 Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures and can cause other health problems.

 Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and control varying from

person-to-person.

 Public misunderstandings of epilepsy cause challenges that are often worse than the seizures.
What are some commonly reported
triggers?
 Specific time of day or night
 Sleep deprivation – overtired, not sleeping well, not getting enough sleep
 At times of fevers or other illnesses
 Flashing bright lights or patterns
 Alcohol or drug use
 Stress
 Associated with menstrual cycle (women) or other hormonal changes
 Not eating well, low blood sugar
 Specific foods, excess caffeine or other products that may aggravate seizures
 Use of certain medications

Risk Factors Include

 Babies who are born small for their age
 Babies who have seizures in the first month of life
 Babies who are born with abnormal areas in the brain
 Bleeding into the brain
 Abnormal blood vessels in the brain
 Serious brain injury or lack of oxygen to the brain
 Brain tumors
 Infections of the brain: abscess, meningitis, or encephalitis
 Stroke resulting from blockage of arteries
 Cerebral palsy
 Conditions with intellectual and developmental disabilities
 Seizures occurring within days after head injury ("early posttraumatic seizures")
 Family history of epilepsy or fever-related seizures
 Alzheimer's disease (late in the illness)
 Autism spectrum disorder
 Fever-related (febrile) seizures that are unusually long
 Long episodes of seizures or repeated seizures called status epilepticus
 Use of illegal drugs such as cocaine
 Mild head injuries, such as a concussion with just a very brief loss of
consciousness, do not cause epilepsy. Yet the effects of repeated mild head
injuries and epilepsy is unknown.