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Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving repeated seizures of any type.
Seizures ("fits") are episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormal excited electrical signals in the brain.
Sometimes seizures are related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to drugs, withdrawal from certain drugs, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. In such cases, repeated seizures may not recur once the underlying problem is corrected.
In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures.
Some seizures are idiopathic, which means the cause can not be identified. Such seizures usually being between age 5 and 20, but can occur at any age. People with this condition have no other neurological problems, but often have a family history of seizures or epilepsy.
Disorders affecting the blood vessels, such as stroke and TIA , are the most common cause of seizures after age 60. Degenerative disorders such as senile dementia Alzheimer type can also lead to seizures.
Some of the more common causes of seizures include:
Seizure disorders affect about 0.5% of the population. Approximately 1.5-5.0% of the population may have a seizure in their lifetime. Epilepsy can affect people of any age.
Risk factors include a family history of epilepsy, head injury, or other condition that causes damage to the brain.
The following factors may present a risk for worsening of seizures in a person with a previously well-controlled seizure disorder:
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