Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy at any one time. Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication, although surgery may be considered in difficult cases. However, it is important to note that over 30% of people with epilepsy do not have seizure control even with the best available medications. Not all epilepsy syndromes are lifelong – some forms are confined to particular stages of childhood. Epilepsy should not be understood as a single disorder, but rather as a group of syndromes with vastly divergent symptoms but all involving episodic abnormal electrical activity in the brain. (more)
Genres: biology, health, science
-
Epilepsy in animals:
Epilepsy can occur in animals other than humans (see main article Epilepsy). It is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Canine epilepsy is often genetic. Epilepsy in cats and other pets is rarer, likely because there is no hereditary compo
-
ISAS (Ictal-Interictal SPECT Analysis by SPM):
The goal of ictal Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is to localize the region of seizure onset for epilepsy surgery planning. ISAS (Ictal-Interictal SPECT Analysis by SPM) is an objective tool for analyzing ictal vs. interictal SPECT
-
Temporal lobe epilepsy:
Temporal lobe epilepsy is a form of focal epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures. While focal epilepsy accounts for about 50% of all epilepsy cases, the prevalence of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) among these ca
-
Photosensitive epilepsy:
Photosensitive epilepsy is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.
-
Jacksonian seizure:
Jacksonian seizure (or Jacksonian march) is associated with a form of epilepsy. They involve a progression of the location of the seizure in the brain, which leads to a "march" of the motor presentation.
-
Seizure response dog:
Seizure response dogs are a special type of service dog, specifically trained to help someone who has epilepsy. Due to the differing needs between each case, every potential seizure dog receives specialized training. Tasks for seizure dogs may includ
-
Post-traumatic epilepsy:
Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a form of epilepsy that results from brain damage caused by physical trauma to the brain (traumatic brain injury, abbreviated TBI). A person with PTE suffers repeated post-traumatic seizures (PTS, seizures that result
-
Medical research related to low-carbohydrate diets:
Low-carbohydrate diets became a major weight loss and health maintenance trend during the late 1990s and early 2000s. While their popularity has waned recently from its peak, they still remain popular. This diet trend has stirred major controversies
-
Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE):
Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) is a growing non-profit organization based in Chicago, Illinois focusing on raising awareness and funds for research targeting a cure for epilepsy . Established in 1998, CURE is dedicated to providing t
-
Generalised epilepsy:
Generalised epilepsy is a form of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures, which are a result of abnormal activity in both sides of the brain.
-
Abdominal epilepsy:
Abdominal epilepsy describes a group of gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances caused by epileptiform seizure activity seen on EEG tracing. While a causal relationship has not been proven, the GI symptoms cannot be explained by other pathophyisological m
-
Anticonvulsant:
The anticonvulsants, also called antiepileptic drugs (abbreviated "AEDs"), belong to a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in prevention of the occurrence of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly finding ways into the treatment
-
Aura (symptom):
An aura is the perceptual disturbance experienced by some migraine sufferers before a migraine headache, and the telltale sensation experienced by some people with epilepsy before a seizure. It often manifests as the perception of a strange light or
-
Carbamazepine:
Carbamazepine ("CBZ") is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used to treat ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, Phantom limb syndrome, Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and tri
-
Valproic acid:
Valproic acid (VPA) is a chemical compound that has found clinical use as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug, primarily in the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression. It is also used to treat migraine headaches and
-
Lamotrigine:
Lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal ( ) by GlaxoSmithKline, called Lamictin in South Africa, למוג'ין (Lamogine) in Israel, and 라믹탈 in South Korea) is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. For epilepsy it is used
-
Gabapentin:
Gabapentin (brand name Neurontin) is a medication originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy. Presently, gabapentin is widely used to relieve pain, especially neuropathic pain. Gabapentin is well tolerated in most patients, has a relatively m
-
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome:
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), also known as Lennox syndrome, is a difficult-to-treat form of childhood-onset epilepsy that most often appears between the second and sixth year of life, and is characterized by frequent seizures and different seizure
-
Ketogenic diet:
The ketogenic diet is a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet, primarily used to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet mimics aspects of starvation by forcing the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrate.
-
Complex partial seizure:
A complex partial seizure is an epileptic seizure that is limited to one cerebral hemisphere and causes impairment of awareness or responsiveness.
-
Kindling:
Kindling may refer to: * Material for starting a fire, especially small pieces of dry wood *The process of triggering major epileptic seizures by repeated small electrical or chemical stimulation to the brain, most frequently studied in rats * The 19
-
Sodium valproate:
Sodium valproate (INN) or valproate sodium (USAN) is the sodium salt of valproic acid and is an anticonvulsant used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, as well as other psychiatric conditions requiring the administration of a mood stab
-
Vagus nerve stimulation:
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy and clinical depression. VNS uses a stimulator that sends electric impulses to the left vagus nerve in the neck via a lead implanted under the skin.
-
Epilepsy Action:
Epilepsy Action is a UK based charity providing information, advice and support for people with epilepsy. Formed in 1950 as British Epilepsy Association (the organisation adopted Epilepsy Action as its working name in 2002), it provides freephone and
-
Levetiracetam:
Levetiracetam (INN) ( ) is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat epilepsy. It is S- enantiomer of etiracetam, structurally similar to the prototypical nootropic drug piracetam. Along with other anticonvulsants like gabapentin, it is also sometim
-
Oxcarbazepine:
Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal by Novartis or Trexapin by Taro) is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug, used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. As of October 2007, Trileptal has also been available as a generic
-
Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus:
Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) is a syndromic autosomal dominant disorder where afflicted individuals can exhibit numerous epilepsy phenotypes. This disorder is differentiated from generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures a
-
West syndrome:
West syndrome, otherwise known as infantile spasms, is an uncommon to rare and serious form of epilepsy in infants. It is named after the English physician, William James West (1793-1848), who first described it in an article published in The Lancet
-
William G. Lennox:
William Gordon Lennox (1884–1960) was an American neurologist who was a pioneer in the use of electroencephalography (EEG) for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Lennox first became interested in epilepsy when working as medical missionary in C
-
Felbamate:
Felbamate (marketed under the brand name Felbatol by MedPointe) is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy. It is used to treat partial seizures (with and without generalization) in adults and partial and generalized seizures associa
-
Benign familial neonatal convulsions:
Benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited form of epilepsy. It manifests in newborns, normally within the first 7 days of life, as tonic-clonic seizures. Infants are otherwise normal between attacks and develo
-
Long-term video-EEG monitoring:
Long-term video-EEG monitoring, also known as video telemetry, is a diagnostic technique used in certain patients with epilepsy or seizures. It involves the inpatient hospitalization of the patient for a period of time, typically days to weeks, durin
-
Frontal lobe epilepsy:
Frontal lobe epilepsy is the second most common type of epilepsy, after temporal lobe epilepsy. It is similar to temporal lobe epilepsy because it is a type of focal seizure, which means that the seizure starts in a focal area of the brain, commonly
-
Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy:
Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) is a rare epileptic disorder that causes frequent violent seizures during sleep. These seizures often involve complex motor movements, such as hand clenching, arm raising/lowering, and knee
-
Myoclonus:
Myoclonus ( ) is brief, involuntary twitching of a muscle or a group of muscles. It describes a symptom (as opposed to medical sign) and, generally, is not a diagnosis of a disease. The myoclonic twitches or jerks are usually caused by sudden muscle
-
The Lost Prince:
The Lost Prince is an acclaimed British television drama, produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC and originally broadcast in two episodes on BBC One in January 2003. It won an Emmy Award in September 2005. Written and directed by the dramatist Steph
-
Tonic-clonic seizure:
Tonic-clonic seizures are a type of generalized seizure affecting the entire brain. Formerly known as grand mal seizures or gran mal seizures, these terms are now discouraged and rarely used in a clinical setting. Tonic-clonic seizures are the seizur
-
Topiramate:
Topiramate (brand name Topamax) is an anticonvulsant drug produced by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Generic versions are available in Canada and were FDA approved in September 2006 . It was discovered in 1979 by Drs. Bruc
-
H. Houston Merritt:
H. Houston Merritt (1902-1979) was one of the pre-eminent academic neurologists of his day. As the Chair of the Neurological Institute of New York from 1948 to 1967, he oversaw the training of hundreds of neurologists; 35 of his former students have
-
Hippocampal sclerosis:
Formaida Sclerosis or Ammon's horn sclerosis (AHS) is the most common type of neuropathological damage seen in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This type of neuron cell loss, primarily in the hippocampus, can be observed in approximatel
-
Commissurotomy:
A commissurotomy is a surgical incision of a commissure in the body, as one made in the heart to relieve constriction of the mitral valve or one made in the brain to treat certain psychiatric disorders. Patients with scleroderma, a disease that thick
|
Have you tried vTap yet? See everything, miss nothing!
|