The word "Epilepsy" is derived from a Greek word meaning "a condition of being overcome, seized, or attacked." People used to believe that the seizure was caused by a demon, and Epilepsy became known as a sacred disease. This is the background to the myths and fears that surround Epilepsy; myths that color people's attitudes and make the goal of a normal life more difficult than it needs to be for people who have Epilepsy. The word "Epilepsy" means nothing more than the tendency to have seizures.

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iS EPILEPSY A DISEASE?

Epilepsy is not a disease. It is a sign or symptom of an underlying neurological disorder.

WHAT IS A SEIZURE?

The brain is a highly complex and sensitive organ. It controls and regulates all our actions. It controls motor movements, sensations, thoughts, and emotions. It is the seat of memory, and it regulates the involuntary inner workings of the body such as the function of the heart and the lungs.

The brain cells work together, communicating by means of electric signals. Occasionally there is an abnormal electrical discharge from a group of cells, and the result is a seizure. The type of seizure will depend upon the part of the brain where the abnormal electrical discharge arises.

WHAT IS AN AURA?

Before the onset of a seizure some people experience a sensation or warning called an "aura". The aura may occur far enough in advance to give the person time to avoid possible injury. The type of aura experienced varies from person to person. Some people feel a change in body temperature, others experience a feeling of tension or anxiety. In some cases, the epileptic aura will be apparent to the person as a musical sound, a strange taste, or even a particular curious odor. If the person is able to give the physician a good description of this aura, it may provide a clue to the part of the brain where the initial discharges originate. An aura could occur without being followed by a seizure, and in some cases can by itself be called a type of simple partial seizure.

WHEN WAS EPILEPSY DISCOVERED?

Epilepsy is the oldest known brain disorder. It was mentioned more than 2,000 years before Christ. References can be found in ancient Greek texts and in The Bible. It wasn't until the mid 1800's, however, that Epilepsy was given serious study. Sir Charles Locock was the first to introduce a sedative that aided in controlling seizures in 1857. In 1870, John Hughlings Jackson identified the brain's outer layer, the cerebral cortex, as the part involved in Epilepsy. Hans Berger demonstrated that the electrical impulses of the human brain could be recorded in 1929.