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Seizures are due to sudden surges of disorganized electrical impulses in the brain. In some people, these surges cause severe, generalized convulsions. In others, they barely disrupt normal activity, causing only brief, trance­like lapses of alertness that may go unnoticed. Still others experience focal seizures, which involve only a small area of the brain and manifest themselves as repeated, involuntary contractions of a muscle or group of muscles.

People who develop seizures from unknown causes are said to have idiopathic epilepsy. Seizures resulting from a neurological disorder such as a brain tumor or head injury are known as acquired epilepsy.

Idiopathic epilepsy tends to develop in childhood or adolescence. Acquired epilepsy can occur at any age, although the conditions that trigger seizures in children are usually different from those that produce seizures in adults. In some cases, the seizures never recur after the underlying condition is treated, but in others, they persist for life. Recurrent seizures can usually be controlled with anticonvulsant medication.

Causes of seizures

Alcoholism
A person who is physically dependent on alcohol may suffer withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, if he or she abruptly stops drinking.

Brain abscess
A brain abscess may originate in the skull or spread there from some other part of the body. Symptoms include a constant, severe headache, progressive weak­ness on one side of the body, difficulties with speech and vision, vomiting, confusion, and seizures.

various degrees of mental retardation, lack of normal muscle tone, slow development, stiffness and muscle spasms, poor balance and coordination, crossed eyes, and deafness.

Drug abuse
Overdoses of cocaine, barbiturates, and several other drugs used for recreational purposes can cause seizures. Individuals who are physically dependent on these drugs may also suffer seizures as part of a withdrawal syndrome, which occurs when use of an addictive drug is stopped suddenly.

Encephalitis
This type of brain inflammation is the result of a viral infection such as mumps, rubella, or herpes. Symptoms include seizures, fever, headache, drowsiness, loss of appetite, stiff neck, irritability, restlessness, vomiting, loss of muscle strength in arms and legs, double vision, speech and hearing difficulties, varying degrees of paralysis, confusion and delirium, and coma.

Encephalopathy
This brain disorder can be a result of many conditions, including lead poisoning, hypertension, and Reye's syndrome. It is characterized by personality changes, difficulties with balance and coordination, amnesia, fatigue, and seizures.

Head injuries
Any injury that involves a blow to the head or penetrates the skull can damage the brain and lead to seizures. In some cases, although the brain itself remains intact, swelling and fluid buildup produce seizures. The seizures may develop immediately after the injury or some time afterward, and they may be mild or severe.

Hypoglycemia
Severe hypoglycemia, in which blood sugar is abnormally low, usually affects people who use

insulin to control their diabetes. Headache, confusion, visual disturbances, shaking, difficulty speaking, and inability to move the body normally are among the symptoms. Seizures often occur as well.

Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain, caused by either viral or bacterial infection. Symptoms include headache, high fever, rising pulse rate, irregular breathing, sensitivity to light, and pain in the neck and back. As the disease progresses, seizures may occur.

Reye's syndrome
This rare disease occurs most often in children following a viral infection such as chickenpox or influenza. Symptoms include drowsiness, severe vomiting, mental changes, seizures, and loss of consciousness.