Epilepsy Symptoms & Causes

According to the Mayo Clinic, epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that manifests in seizures. While seizures are not uncommon, epilepsy is diagnosed when people suffer from them repeatedly. However, not all epilepsy is the same. There are different types of seizures with different causes.

Partial Seizures

• When seizures stem from activity in just one part of the brain, they are called partial seizures, the Mayo Clinic says. Simple partial seizures are mild and just affect the basic senses. While some seizures involve a loss of consciousness, a simple seizure may be an alteration in a smell or sound. Sometimes limbs will move involuntarily. In complex partial seizures, the sufferer may fall into a trance-like state.

Generalized Seizures

• Generalized seizures affect the entire brain and are typically more severe than partial seizures. They often involve a loss of consciousness and involuntary body movement. In certain types of generalized seizures, known as atonic seizures, people lose control of their body and fall to the grand. The most intense seizures are known as grand mal seizures, where the sufferer's body shakes, hes lose consciousness and often voids his bladder, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Injuries

• Some cases of epilepsy are caused by injuries, according to the Mayo Clinic. People who receive head trauma, like in a bike or car accident, are more predisposed to epilepsy. Also, people who suffer from heart attacks or strokes, situations that prevent oxygen from getting to the brain, are also more prone to epilepsy. Also, according to the Mayo Clinic, 20 percent of the seizures in children are attributable to prenatal brain injury.

Other Causes

• Epilepsy often runs in families. People who suffer from developmental disorders like autism and Down syndrome tend to be more at risk for seizures. Also, certain diseases like AIDS and infections that cause swelling of the brain make people more susceptible to seizures.