Epilepsy is a common term that refers to a tendency to have continuing seizures. The brain sends and receives messages to make action possible. If there is an error to send or receive messages, a concise break in various or all of the brain’s tasks can happen. If this happens a person may have a seizure.

Epilepsy is typified by motiveless, chronic seizures that interrupt the nervous system and can cause mental and physical dysfunction. In the United States, about 2.5 million people are affected by epilepsy and seizures and about 10% of the American population is experienced at least one seizure during their life.

What causes epilepsy ?

There are many different conditions that affect the brain and become the causes of epilepsy.

• Stroke ( blockage of the blood supply to parts of the brain).
• Complications during childbirth.
• Infections (meningitis, encephalitis, cysticercoids, or brain swelling).
• Head trauma.
• Certain genetic disorders.

Definite causes of epilepsy cannot be still identified, in these cases, the cause may be labeled “idiopathic” or “cryptogenic.” inherited factors may contribute to the development of idiopathic epilepsy.

What is Seizure ?

When brain does not work properly and sometime disrupted neurological system, it is sign of seizure. It is also possible that some people have a single seizure at some time, but this does not mean that they have epilepsy. If a person has epilepsy it means they have more than one type of seizure cause in the brain.

There are various types of seizures. More than 30 different types of seizures have been described. People with diagnosed epilepsy often have only one type of seizure, while some experience more than one type. The term “epilepsy” can be used interchangeably with “seizure disorder.” Epilepsy is not infectious and causes no vulnerability to others.

What causes of Seizure ?

There can be different causes of seizures like

• Stress
• Workload
• Lights that flash at a certain speed
• The light of television screen or TV monitor
• A sudden loud noise
• Repetitive sounds
• Alcohol use
• Smoking
• Headache
• Menstruation
• Lack of rest
• Lack of sleep (Some people with epilepsy have seizures only during their sleep)

Classification of Epilepsies and Seizures

Seizures do not have any separate entity. It is a symptom of epilepsy. Epilepsy types are generally divide into two categories, which are based on the specific biological mechanisms involved in the seizure and the anatomical location of the seizure. The two types are

1. Partial seizures (focal or localized seizures): it occurs in one or more specific locations in the brain. In some cases, partial seizures can extend to wide area of the brain. They are probable to develop from some specific injuries, but in most cases the exact reasons are unidentified.
2. Generalized seizures: These seizures typically arise in both sides of the brain. Many types of these seizures are genetically based. There is usually normal neurological function.

Partial Seizures (Or Focal Seizures)

Partial seizure is the more common type of epilepsy. It generally defined as a disorder of neurons that starts on one side of the brain. The seizures are currently subcategorized as “simple” or “complex partial.”

• Simple Partial Seizures (Jacksonian epilepsy): In a simple partial seizure, patient does not lose his consciousness, but may experience confusion, jerking movements, stinging, or odd mental and emotional actions such as mild illusion, or extreme reaction to smell and taste. These patients usually have temporary weakness in certain muscles after the attack.
• Complex Partial Seizures: To some extent over 50% seizures in adults are complex partial type. About 80% of these seizures originate in the temporal lobe, the part of the brain located close to the ear. Patient can experience loss of decision power or judgment, unconscious or uncontrolled behavior, or even loss of realization. About 20% of these patients have seizures that start in the brain’s frontal lobes. Emotions can be exaggerated; some victims even appear to be intoxicated and after a few seconds, a patient may begin to perform recurring movements, such as chewing or smacking of lips. This situation usually last no more than 2 minutes. They may occur infrequently, or as repeatedly as daily. A throbbing headache may follow a complex partial seizure.

Generalized Seizures

Generalized seizures are caused by nerve cell disturbances that occur in more diffuse areas of the brain than do partial seizures. Therefore, they have a more serious effect on the patient. The subcategorized are tonic-clonic (grand mal) or absence (petit mal) seizures.

• Tonic-Clonic (Grand Mal) Seizure: In Tonic phase the muscles suddenly contract, causing the patient to fall and lose consciousness for about 10 – 30 seconds. In the next phase, called the clonic phase the muscles of patient begin to alternate between relaxation and stiffness. After this phase, the patient may lose urinary control. The seizure usually lasts 2 – 3 minutes, after which the patient remains unconscious for a short time and then awakens to confusion and extreme exhaustion.
• Absence (Petit Mal) Seizure: Absence seizures are brief losses of consciousness that occur for 3 – 30 seconds. Physical movement and loss of attention may stop for only a moment. Such seizures may pass unnoticed by others. The patient may experience attacks 50 to 100 times a day. About 25% of patients with petit mal develop grand mal seizures. An electroencephalogram (EEG) test that shows a specific brain wave pattern can usually identify these patients.

Epilepsy can be dangerous, if a condition called status epilepticus occurs. Physicians describe status epilepticus as a seizure that lasts for more than 30 minutes this condition can cause permanent brain damage. A patient can die as a result of illness, injury or trauma related to his/her condition or suddenly, for no apparent reason. The latter incidence is often referred to as SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy).

Treatment

Antiepileptic drugs are the most common forms of treatment. Surgery may be valid with certain types of epilepsy, when medication does not work effectively. Another option is vogus nerve stimulation, a recently approved therapy in which an electrical device is implanted in the affected person’s shoulder to periodically stimulate a cranial nerve. For persons with certain types of seizures, a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may reduce seizures if other treatments do not work.

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