The brain is to one’s body as a conductor is to an orchestra, we simply wouldn’t be able to function without it. While the conductor instructs and coordinates the actions of musicians, the brain controls the functions and movements of all the body’s organs. It is what creates one’s personality, intelligence, and humor. What if the brain, the organ that you trust the most, suddenly turns against you, trapping you in unpredictable and helpless scenarios? Unfortunately, this is the reality of millions of people who suffer from a neurological disease known as epilepsy.
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes one to have reoccurring seizures. Seizures are a result of abnormal electric activity in the brain, specifically when the neurons that create the brain’s electrical pathways malfunction. The symptoms of a seizure include loss of consciousness, uncontrollable movements (such as muscle spasms and jerking), sudden emotional changes, and many more resulting from the intensity and variety of the seizure. Experiencing a single seizure does not automatically mean a diagnosis of epilepsy; epileptic seizures are typically diagnosed once one has suffered two or more seizures more than twenty-four hours apart.
Classification of Seizures
Focal Onset Seizures: These seizures stem from only one hemisphere of the brain, therefore only affecting one side of the body. Focal onset seizures tend to be less severe than general onset seizures and are a common occurrence for people with epilepsy. However, in some cases, if a focal seizure intensifies, it can diffuse to the opposite hemisphere as well. Most people experience an “aura,” before a focal seizure, this serves as an indication of one’s awareness of the upcoming seizure. Unfortunately, those with generalized epilepsy cannot sense this “aura.”
Generalized Onset Seizures: Generalized seizures are the more severe of the two as they generate from irregular electrical activity on both sides of the brain. The symptoms of these seizures can present themselves in more extreme ways such as the shaking of your entire body.
Causes of Epilepsy
Infections - Brain infections such as brain abscesses or meningitis are the most common cause of epilepsy. These infections contribute to the disruption of electrical signals being sent through the brain’s neurons.
Genetics- Genetic epilepsy occurs when a child inherits genes that increase their chances of getting seizures, or by a genetic mutation before the child is born, meaning it is possible to be born with epilepsy despite having no family history of the condition.
Immune Disorders- Autoimmune diseases are present in bodies where the antibodies mistake certain parts of the body as invaders. This produces a reaction in which the body is essentially attacking itself. In cases of autoimmune epilepsy, certain antibodies target specific receptors of the brain.
References
Epilepsy. (2024, August 2). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17636-epilepsy
Epilepsy - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. (2023, October 14).
Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc20350093
World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, February 7). Epilepsy. https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/epilepsy
Written by Laasya Alampali from MEDILOQUY