Epilepsy/Seizure

Epilepsy is treated at Upstate Neurology's Epilepsy Center.

About Epilepsy

• Main Page
• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Screening
• Reducing Your Risk
• Talking to Your Doctor
• Resource Guide
• Next

Epilepsy causes brief changes in the electrical activity of the brain. Clumps of nerve cells in the brain (neurons) message each other much faster than they should. These are called seizures.

During seizures neurons fire as many as 500 times per second instead of about 80 times per second. This can cause strange feelings, emotions, and actions. It can also cause shaking, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Neurons in Nerve Tissue

Copyright © 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

A person may be diagnosed with epilepsy after a person has a seizure more than one time without a cause that could have been prevented.

Epilepsy may be from:

• A problem with the nerves and blood vessels:
  • Stroke
  • Brain injury at birth
  • Lack of oxygen (hypoxia) at birth
  • Loss of neurons in part of the brain
• Brain or gene problems found at birth
• Growths, such as brain tumors
• A breakdown of the nervous system in the brain, such as Alzheimer disease
• Some health problems:
  • Head injury
  • Brain abscess
  • Metabolism problems such as:
    • Very low or very high blood glucose
    • Low calcium
    • Too high or too low sodium
    • Low magnesium
  • Heart failure
  • Liver failure
  • Kidney failure
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Alcohol use disorder
• Problems with the body's immune system
• Any problem that keeps oxygen from the brain, such as near drowning
• Diseases that can be passed from person to person such as:
  • Meningitis
  • AIDS
  • Viral encephalitis
  • Malaria
  • Tetanus
  • Syphilis
  • Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
• Hydrocephalus—too much fluid in the brain
• Celiac disease—an immune system problem in which people cannot eat wheat gluten
• Exposure to:
  • Lead
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Other toxins
  • Chemical warfare agents
• Some drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and phencyclidine
• Overdose of antidepressants and other medicines
• Withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, and hypnotics
• Taking certain medicines
• In children:
  • High fever
  • Infections
  • Not eating the right foods
  • Not enough vitamin B6 in newborns and infants
  • Lead poisoning
  • Gene or metabolism problems passed through families

In many people, the cause is not known.

References

• Epilepsy in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/condition/epilepsy-in-adults.
• Epilepsy in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/condition/epilepsy-in-children.
• Epilepsy information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Epilepsy-Information-Page.
• Seizure disorders. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/seizure-disorders/seizure-disorders.
• What is epilepsy? Epilepsy Foundation website. Available at: http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy/what-epilepsy.