What is EpilepsyEpilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system. For a brief time, the brain functions in an abnormal way. Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by a person having two or more seizures. The seizures are brief, excessive surges of electrical activity in the brain that cause a change in how a person feels, senses things or behaves. 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. Epilepsy and seizures affect 2.3 million Americans of all ages. It is second only to stroke in prevalence of neurological disorders. About 200,000 new cases of seizures and epilepsy occur each year. 10% of the American population will experience a seizure in their lifetimes. Epilepsy is non-discriminating, affecting persons of all ages, ethnicities, economic status and gender equally. The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 1-2 persons out of every 100 are afflicted with epilepsy. What are some causes of epilepsy? In more than half of epilepsy cases, there is no cause found. Some common causes of epilepsy include:
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