Biology and Behavior Epilepsy

Biology and Behavior

More than two million people suffer from some form of epilepsy. Although many people believe that there is really only one form, there are many. These different forms are put into categories bases on the severity of the seizures, as well as the signs that show themselves before a person is hit by a seizure. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects people in many ways. People with epilepsy suffer the physical problems of the disorder, as well as psychological issues associated with the disorder.

Epilepsy, also known as seizure disorder, is a neurological condition that affects the nervous system, which then results in seizures. Causes is of seizures range from head trauma, a brain tumor, strokes, or genetic forms. When looking into epilepsy, it is first split into two different categories in regards to the seizures themselves; partial and generalized. With partial seizures, there can sometimes be a warning sign that a seizure is about to take place. Some of these signs include disorientation, nausea, twitching, abnormal vision and perception, or even experiencing strange smells and sounds. During the seizure itself, the person may walk around aimlessly, talk incoherently, pick at their clothing, as well as a few other outer signs.

When dealing with generalized seizures, this is put into other categories to help separate the type of seizure the person may suffer from. There are absence seizures, which is indicated by the person nodding their head, blinking repeatedly, and even reverting back to childhood. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures can result in a loss of consciousness, twitching of limbs, and then feeling confused and tired after the seizure has taken place. Although they are all categorized by different symptoms and seizures, it does not make one less harmful than the other.

It has been estimated that worldwide there are at least 50 million people who have epilepsy and the great majority of studies of the prevalence of epilepsy have reported rates between 4 and 10 per 100 (Hanneke, Mula, & Sanders, 2008). Epilepsy is found in every country on this planet. There are no social, ethnic, gender, age or geographic borders to this neurologic disorder. Epilepsy occurs at any age but there are two peak age categories. Epilepsy occurs more often in the first two decades of life and again after a person is sixty years old. Epilepsy is frequently seen in newborns and is fairly common in the premature. The impact of epilepsy rests not only on the individual patient, but also on the family and indirectly on the community (Hanneke, Mula, & Sanders, 2008).

Epilepsy is a disorder of the nervous system. It is sometimes called a condition. It is not a disease. The cost of epilepsy is vast and difficult to calculate. It is estimated that the United States spends