Epilepsy - The Most Important Facts!

Seizures usually result when there is a spike in electrical activity in the brain. This excessive excitation of the nerve cells in the brain is introduced by certain chemical changes. This may prevent brain cells from working properly.

Epileptic seizures are classified into three major groups - 1) Focal onset seizures They start in one area or group of cells on one side of the brain and may or may not involve impairment of awareness. 2) Generalized onset seizures They affect a group of cells on both the sides of the brain at the same time and awareness is impaired almost every time. 3) Unknown onset seizures If the type of onset is not known as it is identified in focal and generalized onset seizures, they are classified as unknown onset seizures. The classification will change once the onset is clarified later.

Generalized onset seizures affect a group of cells on both sides of the brain at the same time. Focal onset aware seizures and focal onset impaired awareness can start in a group of cells on one side of the brain. The beginning of seizures cannot be traced to any particular area of the brain in the case of unknown onset seizures.

Non-motor symptoms of epileptic seizures are symptoms that do not have any impact on movement. These may include changes such as lack of movement (known as behavior arrest), or transitions in emotions, thinking, sense, or autonomic functions (such as goosebumps or heart pumping). Clonic, atonic, and tonic seizures are motor symptoms of epileptic seizures.