Sagnik Nag , Amity University, kolkata
Epilepsy is a leading central nervous system dependent neurological disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain becomes disrupted, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of consciousness i.e.complete blackouts. As a matter of the fact, a seizure is a sudden rush of electrical activity in the brain, which can cause spasms and uncontrollable muscle twitches and can last a few seconds to several minutes. However, Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half of those with the condition – but the most important causes of epilepsy may include perinatal brain injury, infections, tumors, developmental abnormalities in the brain, head injury, and stroke.
Epilepsy is a fairly common neurological disorder that affects 65.5 million people around the world. In the United States, it affects about 2.8 million people.
Seizures are the primary symptom of epilepsy, anyone and everyone can develop epilepsy, but it’s more common in young children and older adults. It occurs slightly more in males than in females. Symptoms slightly differ from one person to person and in accordance with the type of seizure. Identifying triggers for unconsciousness isn’t always easy. If someone is experiencing seizures for the first time, they should seek medical help immediately. One should also seek medical attention if the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes because a second seizure might follow up immediately.
There’s no cure for epilepsy, but the disorder can be managed with medications and other strategies. It is strictly advised not to create panic situations in front of the person affected and allow for a sound sleep after the consciousness returns. Most people with epilepsy can become seizure-free by taking one anti-seizure medication, called anti-epileptic medication and others might be able to decrease the frequency and intensity of their seizures by taking an array of medication in combination. Other treatment options include vagus nerve stimulator, ketogenic diet, and in rare cases brain surgery. Research into new treatments is ongoing, one treatment that might be available in the future is deep brain stimulation. As many accomplished people demonstrate who overcame this condition, epilepsy doesn’t have to inhibit you from enjoying your life and finding success in all that you do.
References –
Seizures and Epilepsy: An Overview for Neuroscientists, Carl E. Stafstrom and Lionel Carmant. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a022426 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4448698
Very well written indeed. Diet definitely plays an important role in curbing the seizures and any such panic attacks.