Epilepsy is sometimes called a seizure disorder. It affects people from all walks of life, from all races and all nations. It even affects animals. The brain is a highly complex and sensitive organ, responsible for controlling motor movement, sensation, thought and emotion, as well as involuntary bodily functions such as heartbeat or respiration. The brain is the seat of thought and memory.
Brain cells work together, communicating by means of electric signals.
A seizure occurs when there is an abnormal electrical discharge from a group of cells. The type of seizure will depend on the part of the brain where the discharge originates. In most cases, epilepsy is not hereditary. While a predisposition to develop the disorder may be hereditary, it can be said that parents do not directly transmit the disorder to their children except in some rare specific syndromes. Epilepsy can strike anyone at any age.