What is epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes disturbances in electrical activity in the brain. Normally, nerve cells communicate with each other by releasing electrochemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, in an organized fashion. In people with epilepsy, the neurons fire at a faster rate, causing bursts of electrical activity that lead to seizures. This sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain can cause changes in behavior and/or unusual sensations, muscle spasms, loss of consciousness and convulsions. Although the exact cause of epilepsy may never be known, genetic factors, damage from a brain injury, or an abnormality in brain wiring from birth are thought to cause changes in the normal pattern of electrical activity.