Diagnosing Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a condition in which the affected person has seizures or periods of loss of consciousness. It is the second most common neurological condition in the UK.

There have been solutions that were introduced in the past and that are still used today to determine if a person has epilepsy. One of the solutions is called the electroencephalography (EEG), which was introduced in 1929 by the German psychiatrist Hans Berger (Jefferys, 2010). This was a breakthrough in psychiatric and neurological history. It was a minimally invasive diagnostic test that recorded the electrical patterns in a person’s brain. This allowed doctors to measure the electricity that the brain makes and to determine the brain’s activity. Overtime, it became popularly used during the late 1940s and early 1990s (Jefferys, 2010). This was the time when digital EEG recordings became available. Then, in the late 1990s, the digital recordings became faster, demonstrating the presence of ripples and fast ripples, which marked as epileptogenic zone (Jefferys, 2010). During an EEG, a patient would have tiny electrodes and wires attached to his/her head. The brain waves would be detected through the electrodes, which would then allow for the EEG machine to formulate the brain signals and record them on a paper or on a screen (“EEG,” 2016). An EEG is still used today. Another solution used to determine if a person has epilepsy is the patch-clamp technique. It was developed by Neher and Sakmann between the 1970s and 1980s. This method

Epilepsy, also called a seizure disorder, is a disease that affects many people around the world. Epilepsy causes people to have epileptic seizures. This illness causes about 50,000 deaths each year and believe it or not, the harm that a person could inflict on themselves is more dangerous that the seizure itself.

The topic to be researched is epilepsy. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder where the brain is prone to seizures. Seizures are caused by neurones in the brain receiving too much electrical activity. Recurring seizures are the only visible symptom of epilepsy. Epilepsy has 2 main types of seizures – generalised and partial. The type of seizure will depend on the brain area affected. Epilepsy is most commonly diagnosed during childhood – under the age of 15, and also during later stages of life – over the age of 65. Genetics can also play a part in some types of epilepsy, such as Lafora Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy and Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. As epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system it can affect the body in different

People uneducated about Epilepsy may have confused thoughts on what it really is. People have these "notions," which are partly or entirely not true. So, throughout this research paper, these notions will be proven untrue, mostly by factual information given by

Epilepsy is an increasingly common brain disorder caused by abnormal electrical activity in various parts of the brain. It can result in intermittent episodes of convulsions, unconsciousness and sensory disturbance, among other symptoms (Epilepsy Action Australia, 2016).

Epilepsy is a growing disorder in the world. Many people tend to be unaware they have epilepsy due to no diagnosis or believing their seizures are something simple. The epilepsy community of Texas is in great need due to the increasing costs of medication and medical service, lack of programs for diagnosed children and insignificant increase in education concerning epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation of Texas (EFTX) and Epilepsy Foundation of Central and South Texas (EFCST) were established in order to help patients with these types of problems. These two affiliates of the national Epilepsy Foundation serve the entire state of Texas. Both organizations have the same mission: the Epilepsy Foundation leads the fight to stop seizures, find a cure and overcome the challenges created by epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder having to do with abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Often times, people who suffer from epilepsy tend to have frequent seizures. These seizures happen due to an overwhelming amount of electrical activity in the brain. This electrical activity can make you lose control of your body movement, functions, and awareness. “About fifty million people worldwide are said to be affected by epilepsy and seizures.”

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain becomes disrupted, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of consciousness. Epilepsy also known as seizures is a brain disorder involving repeated, spontaneous seizures of any type. Epilepsy is not a single disorder but rather a wide spectrum of problems. What all types of epilepsy share are recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by an uncontrolled electrical discharge from nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. This part of the brain controls higher mental functions, general movement, and the functions of the internal organs in the abdominal cavity, perception, and behavioral reactions.

Epilepsy is a disorder where nerve cell activity in the brain becomes disturbed. This activity causes sporadic electrical “storms” in the brain called seizures. During seizures, people experience unusual behavior and symptoms. There are two major types of epilepsy, idiopathic/cryptogenic, symptomatic. Both of these have different causes and affect the body and mind in particular ways.

Epilepsy is a condition/disorder that involves the nervous system, it is characterized by an abrupt, powerful bursts of electrical activity occurring in the brain. These bursts of electrical activity cause seizures to occur which affects muscle control, vision, movements, etc. Epilepsy is characterized into two types, one is partial epileptic seizures and the other type is generalized epileptic seizures.

The main common causes of epilepsy are shown as a genetic form, it can vary by age, and can be also caused by infectious disorders (Schachter et al., 2014). These seizures can occur on as young as a newborn, which would include trauma at birth, infection, prematurity and anoxia (Golden et al., 1983) . This age factor also includes older adults as old as the age of 65 and over which are triggered by strokes, Alzheimer's disease and trauma. Other factors that are also considered the main causes include toxic factors such as poisoning with carbon monoxide, lead, mercury, alcohol, allergies and other toxic conditions (Golden et al., 1983) . There are factors including metabolic and nutritional disruptions, tumors, and inherited and degenerative diseases(Golden et al., 1983). It is known that epilepsy is difficult to diagnose abruptly. This disorder cannot be diagnosed until more than one seizure takes place (NHS, 2014). Once a person is diagnosed with epilepsy, they are referred to a neurologist. Environmental factors can also take place in diagnosing. The EEG, short for electroencephalogram, is utilized while diagnosing patients. Other tests are also used to help diagnose such as the MRI. Neuropsychological tests cannot detect epilepsy but can be used to determine if there are any cognitive deficits or changes in a personality that may be associated to epilepsy(Golden et al., 1983). There are a number of behavior and mood disorders that are associated with epilepsy. It is common for individuals who have epilepsy that encounter behavior alterations and changes in their emotions. While epilepsy has been observed over many years, it has been discovered that mood and behavior changes have resulted by cause of the seizures. The most common mood disorders that are known to be related to epilepsy are major depression, dysthymia, and anxiety (Schachter et al., 2014). Emotion and behavior changes are known to

Epilepsy is one of the most popular neurological diseases, affecting up to 1% of the adult and 2% of the paediatric populations. An epileptic seizure is the result of some functional disorders occurring in the brain and is formed as a result of an abnormal, excessive electrical discharge in nerve cells. The cause of a seizure is a sudden imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory processes in the neural network.

Epilepsy, also called seizure disorder, chronic brain disorder that briefly interrupts the normal electrical activity of the brain to cause seizures, characterized by a variety of symptoms including uncontrolled movements of the body, disorientation or confusion, sudden fear, or loss of consciousness. Epilepsy may result from a head injury, stroke, brain tumor, lead poisoning, genetic conditions, or severe infections like meningitis or encephalitis. In over 70 percent of cases no cause for epilepsy were identified. About 1 percent of the world population, or over 2 million people, are diagnosed with epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a condition in which a person has two or more seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. Epilepsy is one of the oldest conditions of the human race. Epilepsy Awareness is important because Epilepsy is a widely misunderstood disorder. The reason that Epilepsy has been misunderstood has been mainly due to research not being conducted until the middle of the nineteenth century. There are six main types of seizures and many treatments that can assist an epileptic patient. Many facts and myths exist about a person who has Epilepsy, which, is why it is an important disorder to understand. A person living with Epilepsy can typically have a normal life after seeking medical advice from doctors.