Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. It’s also called a seizure disorder. A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain.

Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They can have many symptoms, from convulsions and loss of consciousness to some that are not always recognized as seizures by the person experiencing them or by health care professionals: blank staring, lip smacking, or jerking movements of arms and legs.
 

Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half of those who have the condition. In the other half, the condition may be traced to various factors.

• Genetic influence. Some types of epilepsy, which are categorized by your type of seizure, run in families, making it likely that there's a genetic influence. For some, genes are only part of the cause, perhaps by making a person more susceptible to environmental conditions that trigger seizures.
• Medical disorders. Events like strokes or heart attacks that result in damage to the brain also can cause epilepsy. Stroke is responsible for up to one half of epilepsy cases in those over age 65.
• Head trauma sustained during a car accident or other traumatic injury can cause epilepsy.
• Dementia is a leading cause of epilepsy among older adults.
• Diseases like meningitis, AIDS and viral encephalitis can cause epilepsy.
• Prenatal injury. Fetuses are susceptible to brain damage caused by an infection in the mother, poor nutrition or oxygen deficiencies. This can lead to cerebral palsy in the child. About 20 percent of seizures in children are associated with cerebral palsy or other neurological abnormalities.
• Developmental disorders. Epilepsy can be associated with other developmental disorders, such as autism and Down syndrome.

Tests and Diagnosis

Doctors may use a number of tests to diagnose epilepsy, from neurological exams to imaging techniques like MRI scans.

• Neuropsychological tests. This group of tests includes IQ, memory and speech assessments, which help doctors pinpoint where the seizures are originating. This type of testing is routinely done before epilepsy surgery.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG). This is the most common test to diagnose epilepsy. An EEG records the electrical activity of your brain via electrodes affixed to your scalp. If you have epilepsy, it's common to have changes in your normal pattern of brain waves, even when you're not having a seizure. Your doctor may want to monitor you on video while conducting an EEG of you awake or asleep in hopes of recording the seizure to see what kind of seizures you're having. Sometimes your doctor will have to do something to provoke a seizure while you're being tested, such as asking you to sleep very little the night before.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of your brain. MRIs can reveal brain abnormalities that could be causing your seizures.