Epilepsy
is a brain disorder in which clusters
of nerve cells, or neurons, in the
brain sometimes signal abnormally.
In epilepsy, the normal pattern
of neuronal activity becomes disturbed,
causing strange sensations, emotions,
and behavior or sometimes convulsions,
muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.
Epilepsy is a disorder with many
possible causes.
Epilepsy is currently defined as
a tendency to have recurrent seizures
(sometimes called fits). A seizure
is caused by a sudden burst of excess
electrical activity in the brain,
causing a temporary disruption in
the normal message passing between
brain cells. This disruption results
in the brain’s messages becoming
halted or mixed up.
Epilepsy is a general term that refers
to a tendency to have recurrent seizures.
There are various types of seizures.
People with diagnosed epilepsy often
have only one type of seizure, although
some experience more than one type.
The term "epilepsy" can
be used interchangeably with "seizure
disorder." Epilepsy is not contagious
and poses no risk to others.
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