Epilepsy: Discovery of a New Epileptic Gene Network
In late 2016, scientists at Imperial College London discovered a new epilepsy gene network, and the discovery is thought to possibly lead to new treatments for epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes a person to have unforeseeable seizures. A seizure can occur when a part of the brain is hit with a wave of anomalous electrical signals that affect the brain’s typical electrical function. An epileptic seizure can cause the person affected to feel fatigue, confusion, tiredness, and depression. These seizures can also affect a person’s breathing rhythm, eye movement, muscle control, and heartbeat. People can have epilepsy because of their genes or as the result of a stroke, head injury, tumour, or infection. 65 million people in the world have epilepsy, making it the world’s fourth most common neurological disorder. Of this 65 million, 3 million are Americans, and 1 in every 26 people in the United States will have it in their lifetime. Every year, about 200,000 people are diagnosed with the disorder, and for two thirds of those diagnosed, the cause of their epilepsy is unclear. More people worldwide have epilepsy than have Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis combined; however, patients with epilepsy are given less federal dollars than any of the patients that possess these other neurological conditions.
By: Alexandra Kelleher
Image from: National Library
of Medicine