Epilepsy

The Epilepsy topic includes research on the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a chronic condition in which groups of neurons send the wrong signals in the brain, causing seizures. Epilepsy can have many different causes and seizure types. The condition varies in severity and impact from person to person and can be accompanied by a range of co-existing conditions.

Epilepsy has many possible causes, including genetic factors, infection, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and others. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of nerve cell activity—from illness to brain damage to brain development problems—can lead to seizures.

There are many different kinds of epilepsy and seizures, which makes accurate diagnosis especially important. Treatment approaches vary depending on the patient and the type of epilepsy they have, and may include medication, lifestyle changes, or surgery.