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(CNN) - More than 3.4 million people in the United States are diagnosed with epilepsy, but researchers struggle to fully understand the spectrum of neurological disorders and their causes.
Epilepsy is a general term for several diagnoses that involve recurrent seizures. A spectrum of disorders is considered for its wide range of causes, types of seizures and severity of impact, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
In 2019, the family of the Disney Channel star, Cameron Boyce, who died while sleeping, said his deadly attack was caused by epilepsy.
During a seizure, neurons fail and send an abnormally large and rapid surge of electrical signals to the brain. This can cause involuntary changes in body movement, behavior, sensation and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.
This is what you need to know about epilepsy, seizures and their impact on the general health of patients.
Symptoms of epilepsy vary by type.
The symptoms of epilepsy manifest themselves differently depending on their severity, from seizures and loss of consciousness to a brief period of consciousness accompanied by rapid blinking, says the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Focal seizures occur in an isolated part of the brain. The symptoms of these epileptic seizures vary, from an intense sense of déjà vu and a sudden change of mood to a dreamlike sensation and repetitive movements such as blinking, contractions and swallowing.
Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain, and symptoms include blank gaze, tremor, stiffness, shaking and loss of consciousness.
About 50% of epilepsy cases do not have an identifiable cause
Half of epilepsy cases have no known cause. For the other half, epilepsy is related to:
Genetic Mutation: The institute estimates that hundreds of genes are attributable to the disease. Mutations affect neuronal functioning in different ways, causing different forms of epilepsy. Other genetic mutations do not cause epilepsy, but may increase patients' susceptibility to seizures.
Traumatic brain injury: A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 1 in 10 adolescents developed epilepsy three years after being hospitalized for head trauma.
Brain conditions: When the brain tries to heal itself after disorders such as benign tumors or Alzheimer's disease, it can inadvertently alter neuronal functioning. Stroke, which occurs when the blood flow of an area of the brain is cut off, is the leading cause of epilepsy in adults over 35 years.
High fever
Infectious diseases, such as HIV and meningitis:
Epilepsy is often accompanied by a number of other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, depression or asthma, which can complicate treatment, according to the CDC.
The challenges facing patients with epilepsy 1:37Not all seizures are related to epilepsy
A diagnosis of epilepsy requires a patient to experience two or more "unprovoked" seizures that occur at least 24 hours apart. "Caused" seizures or those caused by factors such as high fever, acute traumatic brain injury or decreased blood sugar levels are not considered epileptic.
There is no cure for epilepsy, but it can be controlled in most cases
About 70% of people diagnosed with epilepsy can manage the disorder with surgery or medications, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Antiepileptic medication can decrease the frequency and intensity of seizures and, in some cases, particularly among children, the seizures of end patients completely. At least half of people with a new diagnosis of epilepsy can live without seizures after their first prescription, says the Mayo Clinic.
Surgery is suggested when the medication cannot control the seizures and doctors can determine the exact area of the brain where the seizures originate, provided that the operation in that area does not interfere with speech, language or motor function.
Patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates for surgery may choose to implant a vagus nerve stimulator in the chest that sends electrical bursts through the vagus nerve and the brain, which inhibits seizures by up to 40%.
But the other 30% of patients with epilepsy cannot control their seizures with the available treatment. While most seizures will not cause significant brain damage, this form of the disorder, called intractable or treatment-resistant epilepsy, subjects patients to frequent and uncontrolled seizures, which can be life-threatening.
A drug made with a marijuana compound has reduced severe seizures in childhood patients
Although epilepsy is still incurable, researchers have developed unconventional treatments to lessen the effects of severe forms. A 2017 study found that cannabidiol, a marijuana chemical that does not have a psychotropic effect, decreased the frequency of seizures in children with Dravet syndrome, a form of pediatric epilepsy typically resistant to treatment.
The FDA approved the drug in 2018 for use in patients 2 years and older with a diagnosis of Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes.
This girl was 'reborn' thanks to cannabis 3:46One in 1,000 people experience sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy every year
People with epilepsy have a higher risk of dying suddenly for reasons that researchers are still working to understand. Sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP, can occur across the entire spectrum of epilepsy, regardless of the severity or type of attack.
A June 2019 study found that among 530 participants with epilepsy, 237 experienced SUDEP over the course of eight years. More than 70% of deaths occurred during sleep, and the average victim was 26 years old, although SUDEP can occur at any age.
Despite their unknown causes, researchers advise epilepsy patients to regularly take prescribed doses of medications. Otherwise, it could increase the risk of SUDEP.
Epilepsy is more common among people with autism
People with autism are 20% more likely to experience epilepsy, but autism spectrum disorder has not been shown to cause epilepsy. Two epileptic syndromes in particular, Landau-Kleffner and West, have been studied because they could occur in conjunction with autism.
The severity of epilepsy also increases for patients with autism spectrum disorder. In a 2010 study of children with autism, more than a third of the patients also had treatment-resistant epilepsy.
The link between the disorders is still unknown.
For more information about treatment and resources for epilepsy, visit epilepsy.com.
- Geetha Parachuru of CNN collaborated in this report.
epilepsy