Epilepsy is a common condition that affects approximately one in 103 people. It is usally diagnosed in children and people over 65 years of age, although it can affect any one.
Epilepsy causes recurrent seizures, which are the result of too much electrical activity in groups of neurons within the brain. Hyperactive neurons cannot communicate with each other normally, and this leads to seizure behaviour. The behaviour seen when someone experiences a seizure varies according to the region of their brain that is affected.
Visit our ‘Background to seizures‘ page for more information and download our leaflet ‘What is epilepsy?’ to read more about different types of seizure
Epilepsy Research UK is currently funding research to find out exactly what happens to the brain before and during a seizure:
- Professor John Jefferys, at the University of Birmingham, is studying a certain type of brain wave and its role in seizure generation. You can learn more here
This is just one project from our research portfolio, which includes studies into many differerent aspects of epilepsy. To view the full portfolio click here.
