How does epilepsy affect the nervous system?
Epilepsy, also called seizure disorder, chronic brain disorder that briefly interrupts the normal electrical activity of the brain to cause seizures, characterized by a variety of symptoms including uncontrolled movements of the body, disorientation or confusion, sudden fear, or loss of consciousness. Epilepsy may result from a head injury, stroke, brain tumor, lead poisoning, genetic conditions, or severe infections like meningitis or encephalitis. In over 70 percent of cases no cause for epilepsy is identified. Some 40 to 50 million people suffer from epilepsy worldwide and the majority of cases are in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 2 million new cases are diagnosed each year globally.
