What makes seizures

Some people with no known cause of epilepsy may have a genetic form of epilepsy. One or more genes may cause the epilepsy or epilepsy may be caused by the way some genes work in the brain. The relationship between genes and seizures can be very complex and genetic testing is not available yet for many forms of epilepsy.

About 3 out of 10 people have a change in the structure of their brains that causes the electrical storms of seizures. Some young children may be born with a structural change in an area of the brain that gives rise to seizures. About 3 out of 10 children with autism spectrum disorder may also have seizures.

The exact cause and relationship is still not clear. Infections of the brain are also common causes of epilepsy. The initial infections are treated with medication, but the infection can leave scarring on the brain that causes seizures at a later time. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency.

Seizures are more common than you might think. Seizures can happen after a stroke, a closed head injury, an infection such as meningitis or another illness. Many times, though, the cause of a seizure is unknown.

Most seizure disorders can be controlled with medication, but management of seizures can still have a significant impact on your daily life. The good news is that you can work with your doctor to balance seizure control and medication side effects. With a seizure, signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary depending on the type of seizure. Seizure signs and symptoms may include:. Doctors generally classify seizures as either focal or generalized, based on how and where abnormal brain activity begins.

Seizures may also be classified as unknown onset, if how the seizure began isn't known. Focal seizures result from abnormal electrical activity in one area of your brain. Focal seizures can occur with or without loss of consciousness:. Symptoms of focal seizures may be confused with other neurological disorders, such as migraine, narcolepsy or mental illness.

Seizures that appear to involve all areas of the brain are called generalized seizures. Different types of generalized seizures include:. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.

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Nerve cells neurons in the brain create, send and receive electrical impulses, which allow the brain's nerve cells to communicate. Anything that disrupts these communication pathways can lead to a seizure. Some types of seizure disorders may be caused by genetic mutations.

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Journal of Neurosurgery. Fregni F, et al. A randomized clinical trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with refractory epilepsy. Annals of Neurology, ; doi Pacemaker for epilepsy Show more related content. News from Mayo Clinic Seizure forecasting with wrist-worn devices possible for people with epilepsy, study shows Nov. CDT Innovative treatment brings relief to man who experienced hundreds of seizures daily Jan.

CDT Epilepsy and seizure disorder awareness Nov. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.