Most people with epilepsy are otherwise healthy; as long as it is controlled like most other diseases. A seizure is a physical manifestation of paroxysmal and abnormal electrical firing of neurons in the brain. Think of it as numerous voltage (hyperexcitability of neurons) going throughout the brain meaning brain waves going in all directions with the brain saying its too much activity. In simpler terms the brain is saying I don’t know what to do, too much brain wave excitability for the organ to register in what to do and freaks out causing the brain to go into a seizure.
These conditions could be metabolic or structural in the cause. *For example if metabolic this could be “Canavan disease” which is primarily a disease of demyelination. Your myelin sheath that protects and insulates the nerves is being destroyed and can cause a seizure as one of the symptoms.
*Another example being metabolic is thought to be caused by brain acetate deficiency resulting from a defect of N–acetylaspartic acid (NAA) catabolism (meaning breakdown is occurring). Accumulation of NAA, a compound thought to be responsible for maintaining cerebral fluid balance, can lead to cerebral edema and neurological injury, like a seizure as one symptoms of the disease. *A structural condition to cause a seizure could be a tumor in the brain. *Than there is just idiopathic, unknown cause for the epilepsy which if starts usually in childhood but can resolve by the child growing out of it, like in petite mal seizures but it not it goes into motor/focal or grand mal that is permanent and the individual needs Rx for life, with medications.
Remember, etiology (the cause) of epilepsy can be generally a sign of underlying pathology involving the brain–knowing the cause.
To find this out diagnostic tooling (tests) by a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy is the best resource to go to (Ex. New York University hospital). The epilepsy may be the first sign of a nervous system disease (ex. Brain tumor), or it may be a sign of a systemic or metabolic derangement. Where the treatment may be able to resolve the seizure symptom completely where this wasn’t a seizure disorder or epilepsy but just a symptom due to another disorder that may be 100% curable, like a operable tumor removed surgically from the brain. That’s why you need diagnostic tooling to find out the cause; if its not idiopathic (unknown). Metabolic and Systemic Causes of Seizures: a.) Electrolyte Imbalance=In the blood having acidosis, heavy metal poisoning, Hypocalcemia (low Ca+) , Hypocapnea (low carbon dioxide), Hypoglycemia (low glucose), Hypoxia (low oxygen), Sodium-Potassium imbalance, and than Systemic diseases (liver, renal failure, etc…). Then their is also toxemia of pregnancy, and water intoxication. b.) Infections like meningitis, encephalitis, brain abcess. c.) Withdrawal of sedative-hypnotic drugs=Alcohol, Antiepileptic drugs, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines. d.) Iatrogenic drug overdose=Theopylline, Penicillin. Other causes of epilepsy can be Trauma, Heredity. Structural causes of epilepsy: Head trauma/Degenerative Disease like Alzheimer’s or Creutfeldz-Jacob or Huntington’s Chorea or Multiple Sclerosis or Pick’s Disease. There is also tumors or genetic disease or Stroke or Infections or Febrile seizures. Than their is the epilepsy cause IDIOPATHIC – meaning unknown cause come back tomorrow and learn about this with genes and their role. Also learn about genes and their role in epilepsy with the treatment or prevention of seizures. See how our society has changed in their perception of what epilepsy is and why. Lastly learn about the type of seizures and the Rx. and prevention of seizures.