Media Room

Epilepsies / Seizure Disorders

• Definition and characteristics of the epilepsies

  • The most recent definition of epilepsy is as follows:
    Epilepsy is considered a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions: (1) At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring >24 hr apart; (2) one unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years; or (3) diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome. 
    (Source: International League Against Epilepsy)
  • The previous definition of epilepsy was as follows and is still seen in much of the literature and media:
    The epilepsies are a spectrum of brain disorders ranging from severe, life-threatening and disabling, to ones that are much more benign. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. 
  • Epilepsies are characterized by seizures which are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures range from sudden, uncontrolled body movements and changes in behavior to loss of awareness, changes in emotion, loss of muscle control, and shaking.
  • Some types of epilepsy remit or go away but some are chronic and even life-long.
  • Some people with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure.
  • Depending on age and medical history, some people with epilepsy may have a dual diagnosis with another neurological disorders as well — developmental delay, cerebral palsy, autism, dementia, and mental illness.

• Diagnosis and treatment of the epilepsies

  • Besides a neurological evaluation and medical history, the common diagnostic tests for epilepsy include (1) an EEG or electroencephalogram which measures the electrical activity in the brain, and brain imaging scans including computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • The epilepsies have many possible causes and there are several types of seizures. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity—from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development—can lead to seizures. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters, changes in important features of brain cells called channels, or some combination of these and other factors.
  • Treatments for epilepsy include many different kinds of anti-seizure medications, different surgical treatments, and a few different dietary therapies. 

• Numbers of people affected by epilepsy

  • 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy in his or her lifetime. 
  • About 200,000 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy each year.
  • The epilepsies affect almost 65 million people in the world, almost 3 million in the USA, and about 160,000 in our 4-county region.
  • The number of people affected by epilepsy increases dramatically when considering the family members and friends.
  • Epilepsy affects more people than cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease — combined.

• Epilepsy research

  • Epilepsy receives far fewer dollars per patient affected than any of these neurological disorders — cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease.
  • There are no cures.
  • There is active epilepsy research in our region but not nearly enough.

• Impact of the epilepsies

  • About 30 percent of those with epilepsy live with uncontrolled seizures because no available treatment works for them.
  • It is estimated that about 50,000 people die from epilepsy related causes in the USA every year. Those causes include status epilepticus (prolonged seizures), sudden unexpected death in epilepsy also known as SUDEP, and other seizure related causes such as drowning and other accidents. 
  • Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy or SUDEP accounts for about 30% of all sudden deaths in children.
  • Of the 2.2 million troops who served in Afghanistan or Iraq, an estimated 440,000 (20%) will experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) and more than 100,000 (23%) of those are expected to develop post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE).
  • Epilepsy costs the USA approximately $15.5 billion each year.
  • Traumatic brain injury can result from sports-related injuries. Proper and quick recognition of and response to a concussive brain injury when it first occurs can help prevent further injury, the development of post-traumatic epilepsy or even death.