What is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system. With epilepsy, the activity in the brain becomes abnormal, with a disruption in the normal pattern of neurological activity. This can cause seizures, odd emotions, irregular behavior, and in some cases convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Neurons in the brain work by sending electrochemical charges from one cell to another. These messages are called action potentials. This electrical activity given off by the brain activity is called a “brainwave.” Brainwaves produce certain thoughts, feelings, and actions. They essentially control how we live and react to certain things. In epilepsy, a neuron may fire as many as 500 times per second. This is much faster than in a normally functioning brain. In …show more content…
It affects around 65 million people, with 3.4 million of them being in the United States. Though anyone can develop epilepsy, it is most common in young children and elderly people. Also, there are slightly more men than women who have epilepsy. For some, death from epilepsy is a real concern. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a risk for some. Though death can occur from injuries caused by seizures such as drowning, other deaths are from epilepsy specifically. According to the CDC, death of 1.16 for every 1,000 epilepsy patients happen each year, though these estimates can vary. Symptoms can also vary depending on the type of seizure being experienced. What are the Symptoms of Epilepsy? The main symptoms of epilepsy are seizures. These symptoms are different for everyone as differing seizures are experienced. Generalized Seizures There are six different types of generalized