Epilepsy

What is a seizure?

A seizure is an event of abnormal electrical activity in the brain (like a short-circuit or electrical storm). Symptoms can be very diverse, at times subtle, at times robust and obvious, and above all, dangerous. There are many different types of seizures. The symptoms of a seizure are often unique to the individual.

What causes seizures?

Almost any injury or insult to the brain (stroke, infection, trauma, tumor…) can disrupt the brain’s circuitry and cause seizures.

What is Epilepsy?

Regardless of cause or severity, epilepsy is an enduring predisposition to recurring seizures.

What treatments are available for Epilepsy?

• Medications
• Special diets
• Prescription CBD medications
• Hormonal therapy
• Surgery to remove the seizure onset area
• Surgery to disrupt the seizure onset area (Laser therapy)
• Devices that interact the with brain to stop seizures

What testing is used in epilepsy?

Patients experiencing seizures will receive a combination of tests to help make a plan with their epileptologist (the epilepsy doctor). The work-up is different for each patient and is determined by what the team is trying to figure out. Epilepsy tests include:

• EEG (scalp recording of brain electrical activity)
• MRI (precise imaging of the brain’s structure)
• EMU, epilepsy monitoring unit, (elective inpatient admission to capture seizures with video, make a firm diagnosis, and to localize the onset region)
• fMRI (localizes areas of the brain that control language and other vital functions—that should never be removed)
• PET (shows the resting activity of the brain and its component parts)
• MEG (measures the brain’s electrical activity by recording magnetic fields emanating from the brain)
• Genetic testing (looking for abnormal genes that predispose a person to a certain seizure type)
• Neuropsychological testing (pencil and paper tests to assess memory, level of function, and cognition)
• Invasive EEG (recording seizures with electrodes implanted in the brain in the operating room)

Who takes care of epilepsy patients?

• Epileptologists (neurologists who specialize in seizures and EEG)
• Nurses (they help with all aspects of having the diagnosis, daily management, and care in the hospital and clinic)
• Neuroradiologists (experts in various brain imaging techniques)
• Neuropsychologists (experts in memory and cognitive functions)
• The patient, their family, and friends