This disorder affects more than 2.5 million Americans, and 125,000 new cases develop each year. Normal brain function is made possible by millions of tiny electrical charges passing between nerve cells in the brain and all over the body. A seizure is the disturbance of the brain's normal electrical activity, causing a temporary change in behavior, consciousness, bodily movements or sensation. Many illnesses or severe injuries can cause a single seizure, but that doesn't mean a person has epilepsy. People with epilepsy have seizures that continue to happen for unknown reasons or because of an underlying problem that can't be treated.
Epilepsy can also occur in animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits and mice.
There are a variety of different kinds of seizures. Generalized seizures involve the entire brain, while partial seizures occur in just one part of the brai. Some people with epilepsy may experience many different kinds of seizures, while others may only have one type of seizure. The clonic phase begins with strong, rhythmic shaking movements. Drooling and loss of bladder or bowel control may occur.