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Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Shabnam Sengupta
When a seizure occurs, a type of electrical storm with bursts of electrical activity happens in the brain, disrupting its normal functioning. The changes in the brain make the neurons (brain cells) too excitable or irritable resulting in the brain sending out abnormal signals. This leads to different external symptoms depending on the type of seizure, such as alteration of behaviour, consciousness, movements and sensation.
In epilepsy, there are temporary glitches which lead to uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain known as seizures. The seizures can be of two types. If only one part of the brain is involved, it is called a focal, or partial seizure while during a generalized seizure, the entire brain is involved. It can last for a few seconds or many minutes, depending on the type.
Normally, our brain continuously generates certain electrical signals that control our functioning. These are transmitted through certain cells in the brain known as neurons. One neuron transmits messages to another neuron through a chemical messenger known as the neurotransmitter. However, in epilepsy, seizures occur in which the pattern of transmission changes, leading to many neurons generating electrical pulses at the same time. Because the messages that the brain sends to the body are abnormal, the seizure is accompanied by alterations in consciousness, behaviour, uncontrolled movements, etc.
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