Epilepsy is typified by recurrent seizures (fits) as a result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. In many people, the underlying cause is unknown. In other cases, epilepsy results from disease or damage to the brain.
In people with epilepsy, seizures may be triggered by things such as flashing lights, stress, or lack of sleep.
There are various forms of epileptic seizure. Partial seizures involve only one side of the brain. Simple partial seizures, confined to a small area, produce symptoms such as twitching of one part of the body and abnormal sensations. Complex partial seizures produce loss of awareness and strange behavior or body movements.
Generalized seizures affect most or all of the brain. They typically cause loss of consciousness, collapse, and muscle spasms, followed by a period of altered consciousness and tiredness.
Many people also have a warning “aura,” with abnormal sensations just before a seizure.
A type of generalized seizure called an absence seizure produces short periods of altered consciousness, but there are no abnormal body movements. Epilepsy can usually be controlled with medication. Occasionally, a seizure may be very prolonged, or repeated seizures may occur without a break. Known as status epilepticus