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Seizures.

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Seizures/Epilepsy Epilepsy occurs as a result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Brain cells communicate by sending electrical signals in an orderly pattern. In epilepsy, these electrical signals become abnormal, giving rise to an "electrical storm" that produces seizures. These storms may be within a specific part of the brain or may be generalized, depending on the type of epilepsy. Epilepsy is the oldest-known brain disorder; in the early ages people did not understand the causes, people often thought that it was a demon possession. It was not until the late 1880s that the disease was correctly identified. Dr. John Jackson, a famous English neurologist, was the first person to correctly determine the characteristics of …show more content…

Normal EEG readings and lack of response to epileptic drugs are clues that they are not true epileptic seizures. These types of seizure may be treated with psychiatric medications. (Devinsky) Some people are aware of the beginning of a seizure, possibly as much as hours or days before it happens. On the other hand, some people may not be aware of the beginning and therefore have no warning. Some people may experience feelings, sensations or changes in behavior hours or days before a seizure. These feelings are generally not part of the seizure, but may warn a person that a seizure may occur. Not everyone may experience these signs, which are an indication that may help a person change their activities. An aura or warning is the first symptom of a seizure, often the aura is an unrecognizable feeling. Other times it’s easy to recognize and may be a change in feeling, sensation, thought, or behavior that is similar each time a seizure occurs. The middle of a seizure is often called the ictal phase. It’s the period of time from the first symptoms to the end of the seizure activity, This correlates with the electrical seizure activity in the brain. Sometimes the visible symptoms last longer than the seizure activity on an EEG. This is because some of the visible symptoms may be after effects of a seizure or not related to seizure activity at all. As the seizure ends, it is the recovery period. Some people recover immediately while others may take minutes

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