Health Tip: Understanding Epilepsy

1. Epilepsy Slideshow
2. Brain Disorders Image Collection
3. Take the Epilepsy (Seizure Disorder) Quiz

(HealthDay News) -- Having epilepsy leads to seizures that affect a person's physical and metal health. It's caused by brief, strong surges of electricity that affect all or part of the brain.

The Epilepsy Foundation says epilepsy can be caused by factors including:

• A health condition present at birth, such as Down syndrome or neurofibromatosis.
• Having parents or siblings with the condition.
• Lack of oxygen during birth.
• Drug use by the mother.
• A physical trauma.
• Stroke.
• Having Alzheimer's disease.

-- Diana Kohnle

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