In support of Brain Awareness Week, we’re highlighting some of the key statistics behind one of the most common neurological conditions – epilepsy. It is characterised by seizures which are caused by excessive electrical activity in the brain, the effects and impact of which vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Did you know…
Approximately 1 in 100 people live with epilepsy
That’s around 633,000 people with a known diagnosis in the UK. Epilepsy can affect anyone of any age, gender, race or ethnicity, but it’s most commonly diagnosed in childhood and in people over 60. For many, the reality of life with epilepsy results in the loss of independence. Losing the ability to drive, be alone or even care for family members are just some of the devasting consequences.
30% of people with epilepsy live with uncontrolled seizures
Uncontrolled seizures cause interruptions that impact virtually every life choice – education, careers and even the decision to ‘risk’ pregnancy to start a family. Right now, we don’t know why anti-epileptic drugs successfully control seizures for some people but fail in others. However, we do know that research holds the answers – which is why since 2009 we’ve invested over £4.3 million in research specifically to improve seizure control.
In over 65% of cases there is no known cause
For roughly two thirds of people living with epilepsy, the condition is a dominant part of their life, but the cause of their epilepsy is unknown. This is known as ‘idiopathic epilepsy’. We do know of several factors that increase a person’s risk of developing epilepsy, such as brain injury, infection or stroke. Seizures are also a common symptom for autoimmune disorders, brain tumours and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Some types of epilepsy may also have a genetic component, either caused by a malformation in the development of the cerebral cortex, or from a genetic mutation.
There are 40 different types of seizures
There is no one ‘type’ of epilepsy. Seizures can affect people in different ways, depending on which part of the brain is affected. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has identified 3 main types of seizures; generalised onset (involving large areas on both sides of the brain), focal onset (involving a specific region in one side of the brain) and seizures of unknown onset (where the origin of the seizure is unclear). Within these categories there are recognisably different forms of epileptic seizures, such as tonic-clonic seizures, absence seizures (generalised onset) and auras (focal onset). In total, there are over 40 different types of seizures, which all impact the brain in different ways.