Basic Information
Q: What does "Epilepsy" mean?
The word "Epilepsy" is derived from a Greek word meaning "a condition of being overcome, seized, or attacked." People used to believe that the seizure was caused by a demon, and Epilepsy became known as a sacred disease. This is the background to the myths and fears that surround Epilepsy; myths that colour people's attitudes and make the goal of a normal life more difficult than it needs to be be for people who have Epilepsy. The word "Epilepsy" means nothing more than the tendency to have seizures.
Q: Is Epilepsy a disease?
Epilepsy is not a disease. It is a symptom of a neurological disorder -- a physical condition -- which causes a malfunction of the electrical signals which control the operation of the brain. It is characterized by sudden, brief seizures whose nature and intensity varies from person to person.
Epilepsy is not contagious.
Q: What is a seizure?
The brain is a highly complex and sensitive organ. It controls and regulates all our actions. It controls motor movements, sensations, thoughts, and emotions. It is the seat of memory, and it regulates the involuntary inner workings of the body such as the function of the heart and the lungs.
The brain cells work together, communicating by means of electric signals. Occasionally there is an abnormal electrical discharge from a group of cells, and the result is a seizure. The type of seizure will depend upon the part of the brain where the abnormal electrical discharge arises.
Q: What is an aura?
Before the onset of a seizure some people experience a sensation or warning called an "aura". The aura may occur far enough in advance to give the person time to avoid possible injury. The type of aura experienced varies from person to person. Some people feel a change in body temperature, others experience a feeling of tension or anxiety. In some cases, the epileptic aura will be apparent to the person as a musical sound, a strange taste, or even a particular curious odour. If the person is able to give the physician a good description of this aura, it may provide a clue to the part of the brain where the initial discharges originate. An aura could occur without being followed by a seizure, and in some cases can by itself be called a type of simple partial seizure.
Q: When was Epilepsy discovered?
Epilepsy is the oldest known brain disorder. It was mentioned more than 2,000 years before Christ. References can be found in ancient Greek texts and in The Bible. It wasn't until the mid 1800's, however, that Epilepsy was given serious study. Sir Charles Locock was the first to introduce a sedative that aided in controlling seizures in 1857. In 1870, John Hughlings Jackson identified the brain's outer layer, the cerebral cortex, as the part involved in Epilepsy. Hans Berger demonstrated that the electrical impulses of the human brain could be recorded in 1929.
People With Epilepsy
Q: What kind of people have Epilepsy?
Virtually everyone can have a seizure under the right circumstances. Each of us has a brain seizure threshold which makes us more or less resistant to seizures. Seizures can have many causes, including brain injury, poisoning, head trauma, or stroke; and these factors are not restricted to any age group, sex, or race and neither is Epilepsy.
Q: How many people have Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is far more common than most of us realize. Current estimates indicate that more than one per cent of the population have had, or will have, some form of Epilepsy in their lifetime. It occurs in about 1 in every 100-200 people.
Q: Does Epilepsy strike at any particular age?
Epilepsy primarily affects children and young adults, although anyone can get epilepsy at anytime. 20 percent of cases develop before the age of five. 50 percent develop before the age of 25. It is also increasingly associated with the elderly, and there are as many cases of epilepsy in those 60 years of age and older as in children 10 years of age and under.
Q: Does Epilepsy occur more in some cultures?
Epilepsy occurs more frequently in some cultures. In Tanzania, 4% of the population experiences severe seizure disorders. In this case, genetic predisposition to lower seizure thresholds is known to exist. In Canada, 1-2% of the population has Epilepsy.
