Rapid Fire
International Epilepsy Day
- 12 Feb 2025
- 2 min read
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment conducted nationwide programs on International Epilepsy Day (2nd Monday of February) to promote effective epilepsy management and treatment awareness.
- National Epilepsy Day (India) is observed on 17th November.
Epilepsy
- About: Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, leading to seizures—brief episodes of involuntary movement and loss of consciousness.
- It is recognised by the WHO as a neurological disorder.
- Causes: The disease has no identifiable cause in nearly 50% of the cases. However, it is linked to genetics, brain injuries, infections, stroke, tumors.
- Symptoms: It is varying with some losing awareness, some stare blankly, while others experience convulsions (twitching movements).
- Treatment Options:
- First-line treatment for epilepsy includes anti-seizure medications, while a ketogenic diet (high-fat, low-carb) is effective for drug-resistant cases.
- Surgical options include removing seizure-affected brain regions or corpus callosotomy to prevent seizure spread.
- DBS Brain Implant: Implanting a medical device with electrodes to specific brain regions linked to seizures.
- Global Context: 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, with 80% in low- and middle-income countries.
- Proper diagnosis and timely treatment can manage 70% of cases, allowing seizure-free lives.
