Reader\'s Digest AU NZ 03.2020

READER’S DIGEST

The Many

Faces

of Epilepsy

E

pilepsyisoftenmisunder-

stood.Althoughmany

peoplebelievethatall

epilepticattacksinvolve

a violentseizure– withtheperson

fallingtothegroundandconvulsing

• theneurologicaldiseaseactually
  takesmanydifferentforms.
  DrLeySander,anexperton
  epilepsyandprofessorofneurolog y
  atUniversityCollegeLondon,says
  thatthoughthese‘tonic-clonic’
  seizures– formerlyreferredtoas
  ‘grandmal’– areindeedcommon,
  thereareothers.

“Infact,thereareover 40 different

typesofseizures,”headds,which

includeoneswherea personstares

blanklyanddoesn’trespondwhen

someoneistalkingtothem,and

othersthatcausethemusclesto

contractsothebodybecomesrigid.

Epilepticseizuresoccurwhen

electricalsignalsinthebrain

malfunction.Theyfallundertwo

broadcategories:generalised,

involvingtheentirebrain,orfocal,

affectingonlypartofit.Whilesome

peopleonlyeverexperienceone

seizure,whichcanbetriggeredby PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/ILEXX

BY Anna Sharratt

Misconceptions,

common symptoms

and treatment options

HEALTH

20 march 2020