Epilepsy Basics: A Common Brain Disorder

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. A seizure is a change in normal brain activity that lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes. There are many types of epilepsy and of seizures. Epilepsy is not contagious.

It is common

• CDC estimates that about 2.9 million U.S. adults had active epilepsy in 2021.
• An estimated 456,000 U.S. children aged 17 or younger had active epilepsy in 2022.

Most people live full lives

Epilepsy affects people differently. Many do well with treatment and live typical lives; others have more than one type of seizure, or other medical conditions that make it harder.

Seizures may not look as you expect

Films and television usually show a person falling, shaking and losing awareness. That is one kind of seizure, but not the most common; the signs depend on the type of seizure. More often, a person having a seizure may:

• seem confused;
• stare into space;
• wander;
• make unusual movements;
• be unable to answer questions.

Seizure first aid is easy to learn and give.

Causes

Many conditions that affect the brain can cause epilepsy, and some of them are preventable. Often doctors do not know the cause: fewer than half of newly diagnosed cases have a known one. Known causes include:

• cysticercosis, an infection that is the leading cause of epilepsy worldwide;
• stroke;
• brain tumours;
• traumatic brain injury;
• loss of oxygen to the brain;
• genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome;
• other neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Epilepsy Basics." https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/index.html
• Two stock photographs are not reproduced here.