EPILEPSY

sudden and recurrent disturbances in mental function, state of consciousness, sensory activity, or movements of the body, caused by paroxysmal malfunction of cerebral nerve cells. Epilepsy includes generalized convulsions in which there is sudden unconsciousness with falling and shaking of limbs (grand mal; q.v.), momentary lapses of awareness (petit mal; q.v.), and local movements and sensations in parts of the body (focal seizure; q.v.), as well as other types of activity that may include bizarre automatic behaviour, strange memories, illusory and hallucinatory experiences, and changes in mood. Epilepsy is not a specific disease but rather a complex of symptoms that results from any of a number of conditions that excessively excite nerve cells of the brain. The terms cerebral seizure and convulsive disorder are synonymous with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a relatively common disorder (estimated incidence: 0.5 percent of the population) that is slightly more prevalent among males than females (about 10:8). More than 70 percent of epileptic individuals have their first attack before age 20.