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Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...

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Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.

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Seizures l: Introduction

Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

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Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...

Seizures: Classification

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Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
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Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

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Epilepsy in the elderly: facts and challenges.

¹University Hospital Erlangen, Epilepsy Center, Germany. hermann.stefan@uk-erlangen.de

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

|December 15, 2010

Summary

Epilepsy incidence is rising in the elderly, posing challenges for healthcare. New treatments are needed due to side effects of current antiepileptic drugs in older adults.

Area of Science:

Geriatric Medicine
Neurology
Epidemiology

Background:

Epilepsy incidence in the elderly is increasing, with projections indicating a significant rise in this demographic by 2030.
Elderly epilepsy patients often have comorbidities, increasing the burden on healthcare and social systems.
This demographic shift necessitates a focused approach to understanding and managing epilepsy in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy in the elderly.
To outline current research and identify future research needs in geriatric epilepsy.
To discuss challenges and potential solutions for managing epilepsy in an aging population.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on epidemiological data, diagnostic challenges, and treatment strategies for epilepsy in the elderly.

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Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

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Analysis of current antiepileptic drug (AED) therapies and surgical interventions.

Examination of the etiology of epilepsy in older adults, with a focus on stroke.

Main Results:

Stroke is the most common cause of epilepsy in the elderly.
Diagnosing epilepsy in this population can be complex, often requiring long-term video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring.
Status epilepticus in acute symptomatic epilepsies is frequently fatal and represents a growing concern.

Conclusions:

Current antiepileptic drugs have significant interaction potentials and side effects, making them suboptimal for the elderly.
Novel antiepileptic drugs with improved safety profiles are crucial for effective geriatric epilepsy management.
Further research is required to address the unique challenges of epilepsy in the aging population.