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EPILEPSY Ahmet Selami Kaya Sofıa Unıversıty – Medıcal School Class 3
Definition Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder that results from the generation of electrical signals inside the brain, causing recurring seizures(epileptic attacks). Epilepsy is not a single condition, but a group of conditions with differing causes, treatments and prognoses. About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases are discovered in developing countries. * Classification Partial seizures ● Simple partial seizures ● Complex partial seizures Generalized seizures ● Absence seizures (petit mal) ● Myoclonic seizures ● Atonic seizures ● Tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal) Causes Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half of those who have the condition. In the other half, the condition may be traced to various factors. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity -- from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development -- can lead to seizures. ● Genetic influence ● Head trauma ● Medical disorders ● Dementia ● Diseases ● Prenatal injury ● Developmental disorders Pathophysiology Researchers believe that some people with epilepsy have an abnormally high level of excitatory neurotransmitters that increase neuronal activity, while others have an abnormally low level of inhibitory neurotransmitters that decrease neuronal activity in the brain. Either situation can result in too much neuronal activity and cause epilepsy. In some cases, the brain’s attempts to repair itself after a head injury, stroke, or other problem may inadvertently generate abnormal nerve connections that lead to epilepsy. Research has shown that the cell membrane that surrounds each neuron plays an important role in epilepsy. Cell membranes are crucial for a neuron to generate electrical impulses. Symptoms
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