Watching a loved one suffer a seizure is terrifying. And the fear of future seizures can be overwhelming. 

 

Simply put, a seizure occurs when multiple neurons (or areas of neurons) spontaneously and abnormally fire together. “Epilepsy” is the name for the condition of repeated seizures. Epileptic brains are hyper-excitable.

 

Because the brain controls thoughts, emotions and movements, abnormal firing during a seizure can cause a huge number of different symptoms…

 

• loss of consciousness

• sensing odors or sounds that aren’t present

• auras

• abnormal involuntary movements (face, arms, legs)

• zoning out, in a trance

 

In the big picture, seizures can be caused by an imbalance between excitability and inhibition….an imbalance between the gas pedal and the brake pedal. 

 

Figuring out WHY there’s an imbalance an be a complicated journey because a large number of factors can contribute to creating this hyper-excitable brain:

 

• genetic mutations (mitochondria, structural proteins)

• abnormal development of the brain

• brain injury from physical trauma, hypoxia (lack of oxygen), or febrile seizures

• Neuroinflammation (inflammation inside the central nervous system)

• Autoimmune conditions (Celiac disease, Hashimoto’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis)

• Deficiency in Folic Acid, B6, biotin, glutamine or magnesium

• Mitochondrial dysfunction

• Abnormal sympathetic nervous system activity

• lack of healthy activation of neurons

 

After reading the list above, I’m sure you can see why an EEG and MRI would be necessary, but not the ONLY tests you might need to get to the bottom of what’s causing the seizures.