Nearly 80% of cases occur in the developing world. Īs of 2020, about 50 million people suffer from epilepsy. Not all cases of epilepsy are lifelong, and many people improve to the point that treatment is no longer needed. In those whose seizures do not respond to medication, surgery, neurostimulation or dietary changes may then be considered. Seizures are controllable with medication in about 69% of cases inexpensive anti-seizure medications are often available. Įpilepsy that occurs as a result of other issues may be preventable. Epilepsy can often be confirmed with an electroencephalogram (EEG), but a normal test does not rule out the condition. This may be partly done by imaging the brain and performing blood tests. The diagnosis involves ruling out other conditions that might cause similar symptoms, such as fainting, and determining if another cause of seizures is present, such as alcohol withdrawal or electrolyte problems. Known genetic mutations are directly linked to a small proportion of cases. The reason this occurs in most cases of epilepsy is unknown (idiopathic) some cases occur as the result of brain injury, stroke, brain tumors, infections of the brain, or birth defects through a process known as epileptogenesis. The underlying mechanism of epileptic seizures is excessive and abnormal neuronal activity in the cortex of the brain which can be observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG) of an individual. People with epilepsy may be treated differently in various areas of the world and experience varying degrees of social stigma due to their condition. Isolated seizures that are provoked by a specific cause such as poisoning are not deemed to represent epilepsy. In epilepsy, seizures tend to recur and may have no immediate underlying cause. These episodes can result in physical injuries, either directly such as broken bones or through causing accidents. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Medication, surgery, neurostimulation, dietary changes Įpilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Unknown, brain injury, stroke, brain tumors, infections of the brain, birth defects Įlectroencephalogram, ruling out other possible causes įainting, alcohol withdrawal, electrolyte problems Periods of vigorous shaking, nearly undetectable spells Generalized 3 Hz spike-and-wave discharges on an electroencephalogram