Epilepsy
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Epilepsy is a
brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the
brain sometimes signal abnormally. 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. Epilepsy is a disorder with many possible
causes. 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, or some combination of these factors. Having a
seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only
when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered
to have epilepsy. EEGs and brain scans are common diagnostic test
for epilepsy.
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Once epilepsy is diagnosed, it is important to
begin treatment as soon as possible. For about 80 percent of those
diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern
medicines and surgical techniques. Some antiepiletic drugs can
interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. In 1997,
the FDA approved the vagus nerve stimulator for use in people with
seizures that are not well-controlled by medication.
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Most people with epilepsy lead outwardly normal
lives. While epilepsy cannot currently be cured, for some people it
does eventually go away. Most seizures do not cause brain damage. It
is not uncommon for people with epilepsy, especially children, to
develop behavioral and emotional problems, sometimes the consequence
of embarrassment and frustration or bullying, teasing, or avoidance
in school and other social setting. For many people with epilepsy,
the risk of seizures restricts their independence (some states
refuse drivers licenses to people with epilepsy) and recreational
activities. People with epilepsy are at special risk for two
life-threatening conditions: status epilepticus and sudden
unexplained death. Most women with epilepsy can become pregnant, but
they should discuss their epilepsy and the medications they are
taking with their doctors. Women with epilepsy have a 90 percent or
better chance of having a normal, healthy baby.
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Scientists are studying potential antiepileptic drugs
with goal of enhancing treatment for epilepsy. Scientists continue
to study how neurotransmitters interact with brain cells to control
nerve firing and how non-neuronal cells in the brain contribute to
seizures. One of the most-studied neurotransmitters is GABA, or
gamma-aninobutryic acid. Researchers are working to identify genes
that may influence epilepsy. This information may allow doctors to
prevent epilepsy or to predict which treatments will be most
beneficial. Doctors are now experimenting with several new types of
therapies for epilepsy, including transplanting fetal pig neurons
into the brains of patients to learn whether cell transplants can
help control seizures, transplanting stem cells, and using a device
that could predict seizures up to 3 minutes before they begin.
Researchers are continually improving MRI and other brain scans.
Studies have show that in some case, children may experience fewer
seizures if they maintain a strict diet - called the ketogenic diet
- rich in fats and low in carbohydrates.
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Epilepsy Foundation
Epilepsy Institute
Parents Against Childhood
Epilepsy (PACE)
Family Caregiver Alliance
National Organization
for Rare Disorders (NORD)
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