HERIBERTO SEDENO, M.D. LECTURE ON EPILEPSY

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HERIBERTO SEDENO, M.D. LECTURE ON EPILEPSY
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Epilepsy, also known as seizure disorder, is a
neurological condition that is believed to affect
several million Americans. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates
that about 140,000 new cases are diagnosed
annually. Epilepsy is the result of
malfunctioning brain cells. These malfunctions
cause episodes called seizures. The symptoms of
a seizure can vary widely, but some of the
effects can include physical convulsions,
atypical behavior and loss of consciousness. It
is possible for a person to have a seizure but
not have epilepsy if it is a unique event. Having
epilepsy means the seizures happen repeatedly
over time.
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There is no cure for epilepsy, but it can go away
on its own. When it does not, it can often be
successfully treated in a variety of ways that
allow someone who has the disorder to minimize
its effect. Epilepsy is more likely to appear
when someone is very young or very old, though it
can appear in all age groups. Epilepsy can be
caused by injuries, infections, or diseases that
damage the brain, but can also appear without
such damage. There appears to be genetic factors
involved as well. People who have a history of
epilepsy in their family are more likely to
develop epilepsy than those who do not have such
a history. Humanity has known about epilepsy for
thousands of years, but it has often been
misunderstood, even thought to be demonic
possession or divine retribution.
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Greek researchers around the time of Alexander
the Great were among the first to begin trying to
adequately define the disorder, and some of them
held to the theory (proven correct centuries
later) that it was a condition of the brain. Even
so, effective understanding and treatment would
not come until the 18,th 19,th and 20th
centuries. To understand epilepsy requires an
idea of how the brain functions. The brain is the
center of the body's guidance network (the
nervous system). The brain provides the majority
of the instructions that allow us to move,
breathe, and interact with each other and the
world around us. These instructions are based on
information sent from nerves all over the body to
the brain. The brain interprets these messages
and sends instructions to the body back down the
nerves.
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Each part of the brain is responsible for
specific functions. Some parts handle the senses,
while others assist with memory and emotion,
while still others help us move physically.
Information travels to and from the brain via
networks of specialized cells called neurons.
These cells communicate information by sending
electrical impulses to each other. When neurons
in the brain misfire, the resulting burst of
electricity causes a seizure. Seizures are
classified by how widespread they are. They can
be limited to one small portion of the brain
start in a specific region, but then spread to
the rest of the brain or they can affect the
entire brain all at once, with no real starting
point.