According to the Epilepsy Foundation, there are more than 2 million people in the United States living with epilepsy. It is the second leading neurological disease in the country.
Epilepsy is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Brain cells called neurons normally communicate by short bursts of electrical activity. Sometimes these bursts are abnormally intense, which may disrupt normal brain function. This can cause changes in emotion and behavior, atypical body movements, lost consciousness, or hallucinations. The association of abnormal brain electrical activity with such symptoms causes a seizure. Although some seizures are caused by medical conditions such as low blood sugar or infection, recurrent seizures not caused by these conditions are referred to as epilepsy.