Epilepsy Disorder Suffered By Millions Around the World
December 13, 2012
Exploring the Mysteries of Epilepsy
From VOA Learning English, this is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in Special English. I'm Shirley Griffith.
And I'm Bob Doughty. Today we will tell about the brain disorder known as epilepsy. Many people do not understand epilepsy. Medical experts are working to understand it and improve the lives of those who suffer from it.
Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures. A seizure happens when a sudden increase of electrical activity interferes with normal operations in the brain.
Nerve cells use electrical particles to communicate with each other. Millions of electrical particles pass between nerve cells in the brain. When the brain has a sudden burst of electricity, the body experiences physical changes called epileptic seizures. Victims can shake uncontrollably for brief periods. They also can temporarily lose the ability to think clearly or communicate.
New research is helping to explain how cells communicate to cause conditions like epilepsy. Douglas Fields is a researcher with America's National Institutes of Health. A few years ago, he showed that a chemical called ATP could be linked to disorders like epilepsy and chronic pain.
Most seizures can last anywhere between 30 seconds and two minutes. These seizures do not cause permanent damage. However, a seizure is considered a medical emergency if it lasts more than five minutes. One in 10 adults will have a seizure during their life.
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