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Conditions

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder where a person suffers sudden recurrent seizures, including loss of consciousness or convulsions. Epilepsy can be caused by a number of different brain diseases, but many people who have epilepsy are otherwise normal. Seizures are not necessarily a sign of epilepsy, and to be considered to have epilepsy, a person must have multiple unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

  • 47,000 New Zealanders have epilepsy.
  • 4 per cent of all people will suffer from epilepsy at some point in their lifetime.
  • 65 million people currently have epilepsy worldwide.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. People can develop epilepsy at any age, although it is most commonly diagnosed in early childhood and in the elderly.

Signs and symptoms

Seizures can vary considerably in frequency, severity, symptoms and length. Some epilepsy sufferers may experience one seizure every few years, whereas others may experience several per day, with some seizures being very brief and others lasting for several minutes.

Seizures range in symptoms depending on the type of epilepsy and the part of the brain that is affected. Symptoms of seizures may include loss of consciousness or awareness, changes in sensation and feeling and sudden convulsions.

Causes and treatment

There is a range of known causes for epilepsy, although in up to 65% of cases, the cause is still unknown. For cases we do understand, common causes include head injury, infections that cause scarring on the brain and other brain disorders that alter the physiology of the developing brain.

Medication can be used to relieve symptoms in up to 70% of epilepsy patients. In some patients, medication can be withdrawn after a few years. In a few selected patients, surgery, vagal nerve stimulation, or a ketogenic diet is effective in treating seizures.

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