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Epilepsy is a chronic disease caused by increased excitability of brain cells. Sudden, stereotypical changes occur in consciousness, behavior, emotion, movement or perception functions that continue for a certain period of time.
The most common ages for epilepsy are the first 1 year and the periods after 60 years. Damage to brain cells due to various diseases can lead to epilepsy, and epilepsy does not occur as a result of every injury. In order for epilepsy to occur, there must be changes in neurons in a process called epileptogenesis after being affected.
Generalized Seizure: Seizures in which the whole body is affected and accompanied by loss of consciousness. They occur suddenly, sometimes starting from one part of the body and then spreading to the whole body. Seizures always start and end in the same way, can occur in any environment, are usually accompanied by features such as bruising, contractions in the whole body, urinary incontinence and biting the tongue. After the seizure, the patient has a state of extreme fatigue and the patients can fall into a deep sleep.
There are also generalized seizures, which are only in the form of unconsciousness and seizures. These seizures, called absences, can happen hundreds of times a day, and sometimes their relatives may not realize that they are having seizures.
Simple Partial Seizures: There may be seizures in the form of involuntary movements affecting a part of the body, sensory changes, rotational movement, speech disorders, sense of smell, visual perceptions, deterioration in time perception, attacks of fear or anger. During partial seizures, unconsciousness does not develop.
Complex Partial Seizures: Partial seizures are seizures accompanied by impaired consciousness. In some complex partial seizures, unconsciousness is impaired from the onset of the seizure, while in others, unconsciousness is added during the progression of the seizure. Simple partial and complex partial seizures can spread to the whole brain and turn into secondary generalized seizures.
How is epilepsy diagnosed?
The characteristics of the seizure are very important in the diagnosis of epilepsy. For this reason, if there is a person who sees the seizure, they are asked to come with the patient and inform the doctor. In addition to the neurological examination, electroencephalography (EEG) and cranial magnetic imaging (MRI) examinations are performed. If a patient is suspected of having a seizure-causing disease, further investigations should be performed.
