What’s Behind Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a common and diverse set of chronic neurological disorders characterized by seizures. Some definitions of epilepsy require that seizures be recurrent and unprovoked, but others require only a single seizure combined with brain alterations which increase the chance of future seizures. In many cases a cause cannot be identified; however, factors that are associated include brain trauma, strokes, brain cancer, and drug and alcohol misuse among others.

Epilepsy causes the nervous system to send abnormal and excessive electrical impulses. The results are seizures, which may be characterized by involuntary movements, period of lack of awareness, and other behavioral changes.

The CDS says possible causes of epilepsy include:

      Oxygen deprivation, for example while a child is being born.

      A brain infection , caused by an illness such as meningitis, encephalitis or abrain abscess.

      A traumatic head or brain injury.

      A stroke.

      A brain tumour.

      Alzheimer’s disease.

      Certain genetic disorder.

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