Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder caused by disturbances in the normal electro/chemical functions of the brain. In normal brain function, orderly electro/chemical information is passed via nerve cells in the brain to other parts of the body. In patients with epilepsy, this pattern is interrupted by sudden and synchronized bursts of electrical energy, which, if intense enough, may briefly affect a person's consciousness, bodily movements or sensations. These physical changes are called epileptic seizures.

There are two categories of seizures: "partial" seizures, which occur in one area of the brain, and "generalized" seizures, which affect nerve cells throughout the brain. Normal brain function does not return until the electrical bursts normalize. A feeling of unease or discomfort, called an aura, may precede a frank epileptic attack, thereby serving as a sign of the onset of a seizure. Another sign of an impending epileptic seizure may include a visual phenomenon such as flickering lights or "sunbursts." Individuals predisposed to seizures may have an increased risk for having a seizure following stress; sleep deprivation; fatigue; insufficient food intake; flashing lights or failure to take prescribed anti-convulsant medications.

Epilepsy is estimated to affect one percent of the U.S. population -- approximately 2.5 million people. In more than half of all epileptic patients no cause can be found, but head injuries, brain tumors, exposure to toxic agents, structural abnormalities in the brain and certain genetic, vascular and infectious illnesses can all be causative factors.

Epilepsy may be treated with drug therapy, surgery, biofeedback or a ketogenetic diet. Of these, anticonvulsant drugs, which prevent or control seizures, remains the cornerstone of epileptic treatment.

If antiepileptic drug therapy fails, brain surgery may be a viable alternative. Improved technology has made it possible to identify more accurately where seizures originate in the brain (epileptogenic regions), and advances in surgery have made operative management safer.

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