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Epilepsy What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system. For a brief time, the brain functions in an abnormal way. Epilepsy denotes recurrent, unpredictable seizures. What are seizures? Seizures are characterized by a sudden change in movement, behavior, sensation or consciousness produced by an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. Who can develop seizures? Any individual can develop seizures at any time. But epilepsy is not contagious. What are some causes of epilepsy? In more than half of epilepsy cases, there is no cause found. Some common causes of epilepsy include: Major head trauma Infectious diseases such as encephalitis Birth trauma Substance abuse Brain tumors Stroke What are some types of seizures? Generalized seizures - Loss of consciousness Simple partial seizures - No loss of consciousness Complex partial seizures - Altered consciousness