EPILEPSY:

myths and misconceptions

Mariana Cairós González
PhD Student
Clinical psychology, methodology and psicobioly departament
Psychology and Speech Therapy Section
Health Science Faculty
 Epilepsy is a rare condition Seizures always give a warning
which affects a few people before their appearance

Epilepsy is a form of mental All seizures require immediate

illness medical attention

With today’s medication

A seizure always means
epilepsy is largely a
epilepsy
solved problem

All seizures involve falling

People with epilepsy
to the ground and suffer
cannot work or drive
convulsions

During a seizure a person People with epilepsy have

can swallow his/her tongue low IQ

People with epilepsy must Kids with epilepsy must go to

avoid flashing lights special schools
 Prevalence and incidence

Epilepsy is a rare condition which affects a few

people
 Epilepsy is a rare condition

2.4 million
50 million people are
people diagnosed
worldwide with epilepsy
each year

In Spain
3rd most around
prevalent
360.000
neurological
people with
disorder epilepsy
 Epilepsy is a rare condition

2.4 million
50 million people are
people diagnosed
worldwide with epilepsy
each year

In Spain
3rd most around
prevalent
360.000
neurological
people with
disorder epilepsy
 What is it?

Epilepsy is a form of mental illness

A seizure always means epilepsy

 Mental illness

1 seizure = epilepsy

EPILEPSY

Is a 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.

Fisher, R. S., Acevedo, C., Arzimanoglou, A., Bogacz, A., Cross, J. H., Elger, C. E., … Wiebe, S. (2014). ILAE Official
Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia, 55(4), 475–482.
 Mental illness

1 seizure = epilepsy

EPILEPSY

SEIZURE
Is a disorder of the brain characterized
by an enduring predisposition to
An transient occurrence of
generate epileptic seizures, and by the signs and symptoms due to
neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, abnormal excessive or
and social consequences of this synchronous neuronal
condition. activity in the brain.

Fisher, R. S., Acevedo, C., Arzimanoglou, A., Bogacz, A., Cross, J. H., Elger, C. E., … Wiebe, S. (2014). ILAE Official
Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia, 55(4), 475–482.
 Mental illness

1 seizure = epilepsy

EPILEPSY

SEIZURE
Is a disorder of the brain characterized
by an enduring predisposition to
An transient occurrence of
generate epileptic seizures, and by the signs and symptoms due to
neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, abnormal excessive or
and social consequences of this synchronous neuronal
condition. activity in the brain.

Fisher, R. S., Acevedo, C., Arzimanoglou, A., Bogacz, A., Cross, J. H., Elger, C. E., … Wiebe, S. (2014). ILAE Official
Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia, 55(4), 475–482.
 Seizures?

All seizures involve falling to the ground and

suffer convulsions

During a seizure a person can swallow his/her

tongue
 Seizures = convulsions

Danger of swallow tongue

TYPES OF SEIZURES

FOCAL GENERALIZED
- Tonic-clonic
- With awareness lost -Absence
- Without awareness lost - Myoclonic
- Evolving to a bilateral seizure -Clonic
- Tonic
-Atonic
 Seizures = convulsions

Focal seizures Danger of swallow tongue

 Seizures = convulsions

Focal seizures Danger of swallow tongue

Generalized seizures
 Around the seizure

People with epilepsy must avoid flashing lights

Seizures always give a warning before their

appearance
All seizures require immediate medical
attention
 Danger: flashing lights!

Always warning signs

Always: medical attention

TRIGGER
Sometimes seizure may
appear after a certain
situations.
 Danger: flashing lights!

Always warning signs

Always: medical attention

THE “AURA” PHASE

TRIGGER
Subjective sensory or
Sometimes seizure may
psychic phenomena that
appear after a certain
might appear before a
situations.
seizure.
 Danger: flashing lights!

Always warning signs

Always: medical attention

THE “AURA” PHASE

TRIGGER POST ICTAL PHASE
Subjective sensory or
Sometimes seizure may Medical term for the time
psychic phenomena that
appear after a certain immediately after a
might appear before a
situations. seizure*.
seizure.

*Common symptoms are: confusion, headaches, slurred speech, feeling sick, mood
changes and tiredness. People often want to sleep or be in a quiet place.
 Treatment

With today’s medication epilepsy is largely a solved

problem
 Medical problem solve

Antiepileptic drugs
Around 75% of patients seizure free.

Resective Vagal Nerve Ketogenic

surgery Stimulator diet
• Not all patients • It works in less • Need medical
can go through a than 10% of the supervision.
brain surgery. patients. • Mostly use in kids.

Alternative treatments for drug resistant patients (25%)

 Consequences

People with epilepsy cannot work or drive

People with epilepsy have low IQ

Kids with epilepsy must go to special schools

 Don’t work or drive

Low IQ
Special schools

In most cases, epilepsy is not a barrier to physical or academic

achievement, although it mostly depend on the seizure control
 Don’t work or drive

Low IQ
Special schools

In most cases, epilepsy is not a barrier to physical or academic

achievement, although it mostly depend on the seizure control

People with epilepsy…

 …have the same range of abilities and intelligence as the rest of us, so
they can work.
 …go to regular schools.
 …can drive after one year seizure free (in Spain).
 …can have babies (with her neurologist supervision).
 …suffer different cognitive consequences depending on the type and
frequency of seizures.
 Epilepsy is a rare condition Seizures always give a warning
which affects a few people before their appearance

Epilepsy is a form of mental All seizures require immediate

illness medical attention

With today’s medication

A seizures always
epilepsy is largely a
means epilepsy
solved problem

All seizures involve falling

People with epilepsy
to the ground and suffer
cannot work or drive
convulsions

During a seizure a person People with epilepsy have

can swallow his/her tongue low IQ

People with epilepsy must Kids with epilepsy must go to

avoid flashing lights special schools
 Epilepsy is a rare condition Seizures always give a warning
which affects a few people before their appearance

Epilepsy is a form of mental All seizures require immediate

illness medical attention

With today’s medication

A seizures always
epilepsy is largely a
means epilepsy
solved problem

All seizures involve falling

People with epilepsy
to the ground and suffer
cannot work or drive
convulsions

During a seizure a person People with epilepsy have

can swallow his/her tongue low IQ

People with epilepsy must Kids with epilepsy must go to

avoid flashing lights special schools
 FIRST AIDS FOR SEIZURES
Be nice
Time the Don’t
Loosen and wait
Remain lenght of Create a Turn restrain
constrainin until the
calm the safe area onto side the
g items seizure
seizure person
ends
 FIRST AIDS FOR SEIZURES
Be nice
Time the Don’t
Loosen and wait
Remain lenght of Create a Turn restrain
constrainin until the
calm the safe area onto side the
g items seizure
seizure person
ends

CALL AN AMBULANCE IF:

• 1st seizure ever
• Seizure last more than 5
minutes
• More than one seizure
• The person is injured
• The person is pregnant
• The person doesn’t breath
• The person has high fever
• You think it might be a stroke
Thank you for your attention

mcairos@ull.edu.es