Epilepsy Essay

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Epilepsy is a neurological condition that effects the nervous system and effects neurons in your brain. When the neurons in your brain are disturbed you get seizures, which is the most common sign of epilepsy. There are many causes to epilepsy, and most stem from a problem with the brain. A person is usually diagnosed with epilepsy after they had more than one seizures. There is no known cure for epilepsy, but there is medication to control the countless seizures. Epilepsy is a common condition that 4 in every 1000 people have. Epilepsy is a serious matter and should not be dealt with lightly.
In normal brains, neurons send out electoral pules witch are received by other parts of the body, that include the nerves, muscle, and the spinal cord. The pulses are timed precisely so the brain doesn’t get overwhelmed. When all the neurons are fired at once the brain gets too much activity and the result in a seizure. The normal speed of neurons fired, is 80 times per second, during a seizure the neurons fire at a rate of 500 per second. An epilepsy brain has many episodes like these and the body goes in to seizure mode frequently.
It’s hard to determine exactly what causes individual cases and 70% of cases go undiscovered. Overall though scientist have been able to narrow down some of the cause. There are many causes of epilepsy out there, and many span from a problem or injury to the brain. Causes of epilepsy are birth defects, head injuries, genetic condition that result in brain injury, stokes, and abnormal amounts of substances.
Strokes and tumors are one of the main causes of epilepsy in adults 50 years or older. About two years after a stroke 10-20% of survivors will experience seizures and be diagnosed with epilepsy. The likelih...

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... there was those few groups out there that believed that seizures were message from the gods and honored people with epilepsy.
In the late 1800’s, Society had turned against epileptics once again. The people believed that epilepsy was in fact a disease but they feared of catching the disease. Asylums and hospitals were established just for the epileptics, to isolate them. Soon scientists theorized the idea that seizures were a result of electrical abnormality. In the 1930’s methods for testing for the electrical hypothesis was developed. After that treatments were developed and we learned even more about epilepsy. Even then epileptics were being treated badly and being discriminated against. But as Time goes on different acts has been put in to place to stop the discrimination. Now days they are searching for a cure and other treatment options for epilepsy.

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