INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL HEALTH-EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PSYCHOTIC CONDITION
Approximately 1% of the world’s population has epilepsy, the second most common neurologic disorder after stroke. Although standard therapy permits control of seizures in 80% of these patients, millions and millions across the globe, have uncontrolled epilepsy. Epilepsy is a heterogeneous symptom complex—a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Seizures are finite episodes of brain dysfunction resulting from abnormal discharge of cerebral neurons. The causes of seizures are many and include the full range of neurologic diseases—from infection to neoplasm and head injury. In some subgroups, heredity has proved to be a predominant factor. Single gene defects, usually of an autosomal dominant nature involving genes coding voltage-gated ion channels or GABAA receptors, have been shown to account for a small number of familial generalized epilepsies. Commonly, one family shows multiple epilepsy syndromes including, for example, febrile seizures, absence attacks, and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Seizures are occasionally caused by an acute underlying toxic or metabolic disorder, in which case appropriate therapy should be directed toward the specific abnormality, eg, hypocalcemia. In most cases of epilepsy, however, the choice of medication depends on the empiric seizure classification.
