“Does epilepsy cause brain damage?”
I am a 21 year old female. I want to know if epilepsy causes brain damage?
3 Answers
Epilepsy can cause brain damage, especially if the seizures are not well controlled.
Because epilepsy is a brain disorder, it can affect many different systems throughout the body. Epilepsy may stem from changes in the brain's development, wiring, or chemicals. Doctors don't know exactly what causes it, but it can start after an illness or damage to the brain. Every person is different, some continue on with no damage.
Not if it is controlled with medication. Seizures that are very frequent, or prolonged (more than 1 or 2 minutes) can cause further damage around the site of the activity causing the seizure. Eventually frequent or prolonged seizures can cause a "mirror" site in the opposite side of the brain. This process is called kindling.
