Seizure

An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain".

What is a Seizure?

Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. In the healthy brain, electrical and chemical signals are fired between nerves called neurons to drive the brain's ability to think, feel and send instructions to parts of the body, such as the muscles. Seizures occur when this electrical system in the brain malfunctions.

Epileptic Seizure Symptoms

Epileptic Seizure Diagnosis

Epileptic Seizure Causes

Epileptic Seizure Management

Latest Seizure News and Research

Exploring the Future of Neuroscience Drug Discovery

Innovative iPSC models are transforming neuroscience drug discovery and research.

From Charles River Labs - Neuroscience Discovery Services 11 Dec 2024

An Arm and a Leg: New lessons in the fight for charity care

Federal law requires that all nonprofit hospitals have financial assistance policies — also known as "charity care" — to reduce or expunge people's medical bills.

5 Dec 2024

Study sheds light on brain circuit behind auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia

Voice experiments in people with epilepsy have helped trace the circuit of electrical signals in the brain that allow its hearing center to sort out background sounds from their own voices.

3 Dec 2024

New insights into anti-seizure medications during pregnancy

Two common antiseizure medications, lamotrigine and levetiracetam, are safe to use during pregnancy, according to a Stanford Medicine-led study.

3 Dec 2024

Groundbreaking method profiles gene activity in the living brain

A groundbreaking method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, in collaboration with international partners.

25 Nov 2024

A closely watched trial over Idaho’s near-total abortion ban continues Tuesday

Physicians are expected to take the stand in Idaho's capital on Tuesday to argue that the state's near-total prohibition of abortion care is jeopardizing women's health, forcing them to carry fetuses with deadly anomalies, and preventing doctors from intervening in potentially fatal medical emergencies.

18 Nov 2024

Pulses of light show promise in controlling seizures

In what could one day become a new treatment for epilepsy, researchers at UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley have used pulses of light to prevent seizure-like activity in neurons.

15 Nov 2024

Practical tool helps predict epilepsy risk in venous stroke patients

A practical calculator that predicts the risk of epilepsy after venous stroke is presented in a study from the University of Gothenburg and others.

12 Nov 2024

Finnish epilepsy care pathway sets benchmark for healthcare systems

The Finnish epilepsy care pathway has been published in Epilepsia Open. This Finnish model for epilepsy care provides a streamlined, multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, and combines modern digital tools, data sharing and peer support.

12 Nov 2024

New calculator predicts epilepsy risk after venous stroke

A practical calculator that predicts the risk of epilepsy after venous stroke is presented in a study from the University of Gothenburg and others. The aim is to improve care for those affected, which are predominantly young adults.

12 Nov 2024

A father's journey from emergency response to a career at NYU Langone Health

The scream that Jonathan Negron heard on a commercial airline flight five years ago ultimately signaled his pathway to a career with NYU Langone Health, one inspired by the quick diagnosis of his daughter's exceedingly rare condition.

12 Nov 2024

Ketogenic diet linked to gut microbes and seizure reduction in epileptic children

The ketogenic diet's anti-seizure effects in children may be influenced by gut bacteria and metabolites, highlighting their role in epilepsy treatment.

7 Nov 2024

Transcranial ultrasound stimulation: A new frontier in noninvasive brain therapy

Transcranial ultrasound stimulation combines accuracy and reversibility, paving the way for innovative treatments of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

1 Nov 2024

How a proposed federal heat rule might have saved these workers’ lives

On a sweltering afternoon in July 2020, Belinda Ramones got a call that her brother was in the hospital. The call was from a woman at the Florida landscaping business that he had joined that week, the Davey Tree Expert Co., Ramones said. By the time she arrived, she said, "My brother was swollen up from hands to toes."

28 Oct 2024

Deletion of long non-coding RNA linked to rare neurodevelopmental disorder

When a gene produces too much protein, it can have devastating consequences on brain development and function. Patients with an overproduction of protein from the chromodomain helicase DNA binding (CHD2) gene can develop a rare and severe neurodevelopmental disorder that renders them wheelchair-bound, nonverbal and with profound intellectual delays.

24 Oct 2024

New prediction model helps identify epilepsy risk after stroke

Researchers from 15 countries, led by Amsterdam UMC, have developed a way to predict which patients are at risk of epilepsy after a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT).

21 Oct 2024

Safe storage crucial to prevent child drug poisoning

New data shows that the number of children suffering a seizure after swallowing medications or illegal substances has doubled between 2009 and 2023 in the US. The findings were presented today (Wednesday) at the European Emergency Medicine Congress.

16 Oct 2024

Researchers decode how the brain identifies and responds to odors

Investigating neuronal activity in the brain, this study highlights how olfactory cues are processed, emphasizing the roles of the piriform cortex and amygdala.

10 Oct 2024

Vance-Walz debate highlighted clear health policy differences

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met in an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News that was cordial and heavy on policy discussion — a striking change from the Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

2 Oct 2024

Organoids offer new hope for safer epilepsy treatment in pregnant women

University of Queensland researchers have made a significant step towards enabling women with epilepsy safer access to a common and highly effective anti-seizure medication.

30 Sep 2024