Epilepsy

Originally a presentation from

one of my chemistry classes by
XXX and XXX
I highlighted my personal
types of seizures with this
color, and put stars next to
all of the information that
describes things that I have
personally experienced or that
have affected me. This
includes the meds that I have
 What is Epilepsy?
• Epilepsy is a disorder in which a
person has two or more seizures without
a clear acute cause (such as alcohol
withdrawal).
• A seizure is a brief excessive surge of
electrical activity in the brain that
change how a person feels, senses
things, or behaves.
• It is a condition of recurrent and
unprovoked seizures.
• It affects different parts of the
brain.
• A seizure disorder is the same thing as
What Causes Epilepsy?
• In 15-34 year olds, 83.9% have unknown
causes of epilepsy. Personally there
is no known cause for my epilepsy. I
have had 3 MRI’s, 5 or more EEG’s, and
nothing shows up.
• 3.4% have epilepsy from a brain tumor.
• 4.7% from trauma.
• 1.3% from stroke.
• 3.4% congenital.
• 2.5% from infections.
• 0.8% from degenerative conditions.
• In all age groups, 65.5% have unknown
causes of epilepsy.
 Classification of
Seizures
• Primary generalized seizures-
Begin from both sides of the brain at
the same time

• Types of primary Generalized seizures:

• Absence seizures-
• Myoclonic seizures-
• Atonic seizures-
• Clonic seizures-
• Tonic seizures-
• Tonic-clonic seizures- This type of
seizure is commonly referred to as
“grand-mal”
 Classification of
• Seizures
Partial seizures*-
• Begin with an abnormal burst of
electrical activity in a restricted
area of brain tissue, most often the
frontal or temporal lobes:

• Types of Partial Seizures*

• Complex partial seizures*

• Usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Consciousness is impaired but not
lost. Can cause memory lapses,
automatism (ex-chewing movements,
vocal movements, strange behaviors)*.
 Classification of
• Seizures
Partial seizures*-continued

• Simple partial seizures*-

• Person is alert, able to respond to
questions, and can remember what
occurred during the seizure.

• Most Common Type of seizure that I

have.

• Being called “simple” definitely does

not mean that they are not extremely
intense, difficult to deal with, and
often very physically and emotionally
 Classification of
• Seizures
Partial seizures-continued
• Partial seizures secondarily
generalized to tonic-clonic
seizures*
(Once again: Tonic-clonic seizures are
commonly referred to as “grand-mal”
seizures.)

• Simple partial or complex partial

seizures that become generalized
(spread throughout the whole brain)
and become tonic-clonic seizures.

*This type of tonic-clonic have had a

huge impact on my life and are
extremely physically and emotionally
 My Personal
Experience with
Partial Seizures
I have this type of tonic-
clonic seizures, because I have
partial seizures beginning in my
Left Temporal Lobe that then
sometimes spread to become full
convulsive seizures. The last time I
had a tonic-clonic seizure was 5
years ago. I have had many
partial seizures since then. The
medication that I started to take 5
years ago stopped my tonic-clonic
seizures but did nothing for my
partial seizures. That was Depakote.
I am now taking Lamictal which
Secondarily Generalized
Tonic-Clonic Seizure*
Facts
• More than 30% of children and
adults who have epilepsy have
secondarily generalized tonic-
clonic seizures*.

• Note that secondarily generalized

tonic-clonic seizures are hard to
distiguish from primary generalized
tonic-clonic seizures, especially
if they are not witnessed or occur
during sleep*.

• Most convulsive seizures in sleep

 Active Epilepsy
• Active epilepsy- Epilepsy that has been
treated with anti-epileptic drugs during the
past 5 years.
• More than 1.5 million Americans have active
epilepsy.
• 6.5 out of 1,000 people have epilepsy
• When the Rose Bowl stadium is filled with
90,000 fans, nearly 600 will have epilepsy.
• In a seizure, the regulatory system that
maintains the normal balance between excitation
and inhibition of the brain’s electrical
activity breaks down.
• Brain cells are activated all at once; that is,
the electrical discharges of cells become