In ketosis, the body metabolizes its own protein, a process that produces ketone bodies and uric acid. Although the beneficial component is still unclear, the ketones are thought to have an antiepileptic effect. Because stress can alter brain chemistry and electrical activity and disrupt normal sleep patterns, it is believed that increased stress can worsen epilepsy in many people. Stress can cause hyperventilation, and some patients, especially those with absence seizures, are more likely to have seizures when hyperventilating. Relaxation therapy and biofeedback, which are usually used together, can help reduce stress and to control hyperventilation, thereby helping control seizures in some patients.
Relaxation therapy involves a variety of strategies to reduce stress while fostering relaxation.
Breathing maneuvers are one of the many techniques commonly used in relaxation therapy. Biofeedback involves learning to control body functions that are usually not under voluntary control. For example, patients are trained to achieve a level of cerebral activity believed to raise their threshold for seizures. It is unlikely, however, that either of these techniques would render a patient seizure free. Brain surgery Resective brain surgery is another option for the patient with uncontrolled seizures.