How does epilepsy affect neurotransmitters?
One of the most-studied neurotransmitters that plays a role in epilepsy is GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Research on GABA has led to drugs that alter the amount of this neurotransmitter in the brain or changes how the brain responds to it.
What cells are affected by epilepsy?
Three out of five of those affected suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy. Progressive loss of mossy cells is a hallmark of this disorder. Mossy cells are known to be damaged easily as a result of head trauma and decreased blood supply. Such brain injuries, in turn, increase the risk for temporal lobe epilepsy.
What is the most common reason for drug therapy failure in patients who have epilepsy?
The main cause of treatment failure is due to not following the treatment plan. You don’t have epilepsy. You may be having events that look like seizures but are not. You may be having seizures, but something other than epilepsy is causing them.
What happens if you don’t take medication for epilepsy?
Missed medicines can trigger seizures in people with both well-controlled and poorly controlled epilepsy. Seizures can happen more often than normal, be more intense or develop into long seizures called status epilepticus. Status epilepticus is a medical emergency and can lead to death if the seizures aren’t stopped.
Does epilepsy shorten your life?
Reduction in life expectancy can be up to 2 years for people with a diagnosis of idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy, and the reduction can be up to 10 years in people with symptomatic epilepsy. Reductions in life expectancy are highest at the time of diagnosis and diminish with time.
Can coconut oil stop seizures?
Summary The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy.
What foods are bad for seizures?
Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body’s metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.
What is the most expensive seizure medication?
Lamotrigine ER is an expensive drug used to control seizures in adults and children with epilepsy. This drug is less popular than comparable drugs. It is available in brand and generic versions.
What foods are good for seizures?
Although it’s not understood why, low blood glucose levels control seizures in some people. Foods on this diet include meat, cheese, and most high-fiber vegetables. This diet attempts to reproduce the positive effects of the ketogenic diet, although it allows a more generous intake of carbohydrates.