What Is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a generic term for a variety of seizure disorders characterized by chronic recurring seizures. It is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying neurological disorder.

A seizure is a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain. Essentially brief temporary changes in the brain's electrical system produce a sudden overload. This disturbance affects the brain's normal functions and produces changes in a person's movement, behavior or consciousness.

There are at least 20 types of seizures. More than 2.5 million people in the US and 40 million worldwide have some form of epilepsy. In Kentucky and Southern Indiana over 90,000 people have the condition. A large number of children and adults have undetected or untreated epilepsy.

One in every 10 Americans will have at least one seizure in their lives, though in most cases they do not actually develop epilepsy. Nonetheless about 125,000 cases of epilepsy are diagnosed nationwide every year.

Causes

In about 70 percent of cases there is no known cause. Where a reason for the onset of seizures can be identified, the most frequent causes include:

• Heredity - In fact, though, the risk of getting epilepsy is only 2.5 times greater with a family history of seizures than when no family member has had the disorder;
• Head trauma - The more severe the injury, the greater the risk of developing epilepsy;
• Brain tumor and stroke;
• Poisoning - This includes causes like lead poisoning, excessive alcohol intake and drug abuse. In fact, more than 5,000 people annually suffer seizures caused by alcohol abuse;
• Infection - This includes meningitis, viral encephalitis, lupus erythematosus, and less frequently, mumps, measles and diphtheria; and
• Maternal injury - This includes infection or systemic illness affecting the fetus' developing brain during pregnancy.

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