DEFINITION
FACTS 

TYPES
SEIZURE THRESHOLD
DISSECTED MYTHS

rTMS AND EPILEPSY/SEIZURES
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DEFINITION

Epilepsy is a neurological condition in which neurons signal abnormally. Individuals with epilepsy experience disruptions in electrical impulses affecting their neurons, glands and muscles; this creates strange sensations, feelings, convulsions and even loss of consciousness. During a seizure, neurons could fire as many as 500 times a second, which is more than 6 times faster than the normal rate of 80 times a second. It is only until an individual experiences more than 2 seizures that they are considered to have epilepsy.

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FACTS

• 39 million people worldwide are believed to have epilepsy.

• 80% of epilepsy sufferers can control their symptoms with medication and other treatments, whereas 20% have “intractable epilepsy” and do not experience alleviation with any form of therapy.

• Epilepsy is found in people of all ages

• This disease tends to commence in infancy or late adolescence, but tends to rise again with people over the age of 65.

• Males are more likely than females to develop this neurological disorder.

• IQ tests reveal that those with epilepsy are in the same intelligence range as those of the general population.

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TYPES

Symptomatic epilepsy: when the cause of epilepsy commencement is known, such as head injury, infections, meningitis, stroke, and scar(s) on the brain.

Idiopathic epilepsy: when the cause of epilepsy commencement is unknown and the individual is free of disability. A low seizure threshold, however, could serve as the cause.

Cryptogenic epilepsy: when it is unclear whether the individual has symptomatic or idiopathic epilepsy. It is suspected there are physical reasons behind the symptoms, but are not yet discovered.

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SEIZURE THRESHOLD

Determines an individual’s level of resistance to seizures. Everyone has a seizure threshold.

• The seizure threshold is determined by one’s genetic make-up.
• The risks of acquiring epilepsy corresponds to the seizure threshold of both parents.
• A person is more likely to develop epilepsy if his/her seizure threshold is low. A seizure may occur suddenly with no obvious reason, or a physical circumstance may cause its onset.
• A person is less likely to develop seizures that occur suddenly with no obvious reason.

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DISSECTED MYTHS

• You should NEVER restraint someone who is having a seizure, as it will run its course automatically.
• You should NEVER force something in the mouth of someone having a seizure as this could result in chipping teeth, punctured gums, or even a broken jaw.
• It is true that some people with epilepsy cannot work, but there are also many who can and even obtain various challenging and productive professions.
• Epilepsy does not necessarily become a barrier to physical achievement. Those with severe seizures may be limited in what they can do, but this is not the majority.

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rTMS AND EPILEPSY/SEIZURES

• Currently there are numerous initiatives underway to better understand the treatment of epilepsy and seizures with the use of rTMS therapy.
• Please contact MCC staff members directly to obtain further details.

EXCERPTS FROM PEER-REVIEWED MEDICAL JOURNAL ARTICLES ON RTMS FOR EPILEPSY

• "The rTMS over the cerebellar cortex was associated with a significant decrease of rTMS versus pre-rTMS seizure frequency both in patients with single and multiple epileptic foci." (Brighina et.al., 2006)
• "This open study shows a significant antiepileptic effect of rTMS based on clinical and electrophysiological criteria and supports the therapeutic utility of rTMS for patients with well-localized epileptogenic cortical malformations." (Fregni et. al., 2006)
• "These findings support the concept that rTMS decreases cortical excitability, and may be an effective treatment for focal partial seizures." (Misawa et. al., 2005)

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