What are seizures and how do they occur?
A “seizure” is a transient event caused by abnormal excitability of all or part of the brain. The principal cells of the brain, or “neurons”, use several different types of chemicals (called neurotransmitters) to communicate with each other. These chemical messages are translated into electrical signals, which allow neurons in different parts of the brain to work together and perform tasks: to move your arm, read a book, or tell a story. Normal balancing mechanisms ensure that these signals travel in an orderly fashion. When the brain is injured or when there is an abnormality of the brain’s neurotransmitters, normal brain activity is interrupted and replaced by giant waves of electrical impulses which flood the brain’s circuits. This abnormal electrical activity is a “seizure”. Not all seizures “look” the same. What you experience, or what others see during a seizure, depends on the type of seizure. There are two main types of seizures: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures in
