About Epilepsy

Historically, epilepsy has been neglected, feared and misunderstood. A veil of secrecy surrounding the disease has resulted in myths, superstitions, and a general lack of knowledge. This has impeded scientific progress toward finding answers to one of the oldest-known and most prevalent neurological diseases, leaving treatment and research efforts in the dark ages.

It is estimated that close to 2 million of the 2.3 million Americans with epilepsy do not have complete seizure control, or only experience seizure control at the cost of debilitating side effects from medications. The need for a cure is clear.

Many of the patients are children, who can experience up to hundreds of seizures a day. The impact on the developing brain ranges from learning disabilities to retardation, and in a disturbingly large number of patients, even death. There is also an increasingly large incidence of new onset epilepsy in the aging population as a result of strokes, brain tumors and Alzheimers Disease.

What is a Seizure?
In normal brain function, millions of tiny electrical charges pass from nerve cells in the brain to the rest of the body. A seizure occurs when the normal pattern is interrupted by sudden and unusually intense bursts of electrical energy which may cause strange sensations, emotions, behaviors or convulsions, muscle spasms and loss of consciousness. These unusual bursts are called seizures.

What is Epilepsy?
When a person has had two or more seizures which have not been provoked by specific events such as trauma, infection, fever or chemical change, he or she is considered to have epilepsy.

What Causes Epilepsy?
Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals (neurotransmitters), or a combination of these factors. Causes of epilepsy may include head injuries, brain tumors, lead poisoning, certain genetic diseases and some infectious diseases. However, in more than half the patients with epilepsy, the cause is still unknown.

Facts About Epilepsy That May Surprise You

• Epilepsy is a major health problem, affecting more people than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's Disease combined.
• Over 50 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with epilepsy, with 2.5 million people in the United States.
• In the US, almost 80% of patients report their seizures are inadequately controlled, or controlled only at the cost of debilitating side effects from medications.
• Tens of thousands of deaths occur annually in patients with epilepsy in the United States.
• Seizures may cause damage to the brain. In a child’s developing brain this often leads to learning disabilities and/or mental retardation.
• Epilepsy is an increasing problem for the elderly, developing as a result of stroke, brain tumors and Alzheimers.
• In over 50% of patients with epilepsy, the cause is still unknown.
• There is no cure for epilepsy.

Historically, research on epilepsy has been under-funded. The picture becomes more clear when federal dollars spent per patient on epilepsy are compared with other diseases, many of which affect fewer people.