Introduction

An epileptic seizure is caused by a disruption in the normal activity of the brain. Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which people have epileptic attacks (also known as seizures) During a seizure clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain signal abnormally. This disturbs the normal pattern of neuronal activity, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behaviour or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. It is important to realise that epilepsy is not a single condition, but a group of conditions with many possible causes, treatments and prognoses. Not all seizures are due to epilepsy. For example, drugs prescribed by doctors for other conditions - as well as drugs such as alcohol - can sometimes cause seizures. Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy.

420,000 or 1 in every 130 people in the UK has epilepsy, making it one of the more common neurological conditions. Only 8 out of 150 neurosurgeons in the UK specialise in epilepsy. On average 82 people are told they have epilepsy everyday. It is estimated to cost the UK £600 million each year in direct costs (health services) and £1,930 million in indirect costs (unemployment etc.)