Epilepsy
By Doctor Eddy Monge
Neurology - Neuropsychiatry - Neurosciences - Neurosurgery
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Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behaviors or sensations, and sometimes loss of consciousness.
Anyone can develop epilepsy. Epilepsy affects both men and women of all races, ethnicities, and ages.
Symptoms of seizures can vary widely. Some people with epilepsy simply stare for a few seconds during a seizure, while others repeatedly move their arms or legs. Having just one seizure does not mean you have epilepsy. Generally, at least two unprovoked seizures are required to determine a diagnosis of epilepsy.
Treatment with medicine or sometimes surgery can control seizures in most people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, however, in other cases, the seizures eventually go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the disease with age.
Symptoms
Because epilepsy occurs because of abnormal activity in the brain, seizures can affect whatever processes the brain coordinates. Some of the signs and symptoms of seizures are:
Temporary confusion
Episodes of absences
Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs
Loss of consciousness or consciousness
Psychic symptoms, such as fear, anxiety, or déjà vu
Symptoms vary depending on the type of seizure. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure with each episode, so symptoms will be similar from episode to episode.
Doctors generally classify seizures as focal or generalized, based on how abnormal brain activity begins.
Causes
Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in nearly half of the people with the disease. In the other half of cases, the disease can be caused by a number of factors, including:
Genetic influence. Some types of epilepsy, which are classified according to the type of seizure suffered or the part of the brain that is affected, are inherited. In these cases, there is likely a genetic influence.
Researchers have associated some types of epilepsy with specific genes, but in most cases, genes are only part of the cause of epilepsy. Some genes can make a person more sensitive to environmental conditions that trigger seizures.
Head trauma A head injury resulting from a car accident or other traumatic injury can lead to epilepsy.
Brain diseases. Brain diseases that damage the brain, such as brain tumors or strokes, can lead to epilepsy. Strokes are the leading cause of epilepsy in adults over 35 years of age.
Infectious diseases. Infectious diseases, such as meningitis, AIDS, and viral encephalitis, can cause epilepsy.
Prenatal injuries. Before birth, babies are sensitive to brain damage that can be caused by a variety of factors, such as an infection in the mother, poor nutrition, or oxygen deficiency. This brain damage can lead to epilepsy or infantile cerebral palsy.
Developmental disorders. Sometimes epilepsy can be associated with developmental disorders, such as autism and neurofibromatosis.
Risk factor's
There are certain factors that can increase your risk of epilepsy, such as the following:
Age. The onset of epilepsy is more common in children and older adults, but the disease can occur at any age.
Family background. If you have a family history of epilepsy, you may have a higher risk of developing a seizure disorder.
Head injuries Head injuries are responsible for some cases of epilepsy. You can reduce your risk by wearing a seatbelt while in a vehicle and by wearing a helmet while biking, skiing, riding a motorcycle, or participating in other activities with a high risk of head injury.
Stroke and other vascular diseases. Stroke and other blood vessel (vascular) diseases can cause brain damage that can lead to epilepsy. You can take a number of steps to lower your risk of these diseases, including limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding cigarettes, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.
Dementia. Dementia can increase the risk of developing epilepsy in older adults.
Brain infections Infections such as meningitis, which causes inflammation in the brain or spinal cord, can increase the risk.
Seizures in childhood. High fevers in childhood can sometimes be linked to seizures. Children who have seizures due to high fevers generally will not develop epilepsy. The risk of developing epilepsy increases if a child has a prolonged seizure, another nervous system disease, or a family history of epilepsy.