A professor of Internal Medicine and Neurology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Ikenna Onwuekwe says recurrent epilepsy in adults could be signs of degenerative diseases, stroke or tumour.
He advised that an elderly individual, who has been experiencing epilepsy, should be taken to a physician for thorough medical examination, so that the root cause can be diagnosed and treated.
According to Mayo Clinic, an online health portal, epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness.
It noted that anyone can develop epilepsy, adding that it affects males and females of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages.
Mayo Clinic explained that epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half the people with the condition.
It noted that however, in the other half, the condition may be traced to various factors that include genetic influence, head trauma, brain abnormalities and infections like meningitis, HIV, viral encephalitis and some parasitic infections. Others are prenatal injury (before birth) and developmental disorders such as autism.
For degenerative disease, a medical information portal explained that it is a type of medical condition that causes a tissue or organ to deteriorate over time.
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It noted that there are quite a number of degenerative diseases and many of them are associated with aging or could get worse during the aging process.
“Degenerative diseases are classified into three main groups: cardiovascular, neoplastic, and nervous system. The most common cardiovascular diseases are hypertension, coronary disease, and myocardial infarction. Neoplastic diseases include tumours and cancer. Diseases that affect the nervous system include Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
“Degenerative diseases are caused by a wide variety of factors. Some are a direct result of normal wear and tear of the body, while others are perpetuated by poor health or an unhealthy lifestyle,” the site stated.
Prof. Onwuekwe, who is the Founder and Inaugural President of International League Against Epilepsy, Nigeria Chapter, clarified that seizures are different from epilepsy, noting that isolated seizures can occur from multiple causes and are not repetitive in nature, while epilepsy is repeated seizures that occur at least twice in the absence of fever.
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