Description
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions, affecting people of all ages. More than 250,000 Australians are estimated to be living with epilepsy. It is characterised by an increased risk of recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Seizures occur when there is a temporary disruption of electrical activity in the brain, causing changes in movement, awareness, sensation or behaviour. They can last from a few seconds to several minutes, depending on the type of seizure.
Diagnosis
Epilepsy is diagnosed in one of these ways:
- Two or more unprovoked (spontaneous) seizures, more than 24 hours apart
- One unprovoked seizure, and an enduring risk for further unprovoked seizures (for example, the brain scan shows a clear area of scar tissue on the brain)
- Epilepsy syndrome (for example, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy)
There are many types of epilepsy. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into two groups:
- Focal epilepsy – seizures come from one part of the brain. They may or may not impair consciousness. They cause specific symptoms, for example, an intense feeling of déjà vu (a sense of having been somewhere before), or tingling up one side of the body.
- Generalised epilepsy – seizures arise from both sides of the brain simultaneously. These always impair consciousness. Common examples of generalised seizures include absence seizures, which make people stare blankly for several seconds, and tonic-clonic seizures, which are full-body convulsions.
Causes
There are many causes of epilepsy, including genetics, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumours. Sometimes, a specific cause cannot be identified.
It may take years for seizures to develop after a brain injury.
Treatment
In order to get an accurate diagnosis, and to identify any underlying condition, patients will require a brain scan (CT or MRI) and brain wave test (electroencephalogram, EEG).
Antiseizure medications can prevent seizures for 2 in 3 people living with epilepsy.
People who have ongoing seizures despite trying two antiseizure medications have ‘drug resistant epilepsy’. They may be referred to a Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre, to explore the possibility of other treatments such as surgery, vagus nerve stimulation, and ketogenic diet.
Safety
Seizure safety includes caution around water, at heights, and for certain sports (for example, hang-gliding). People will need to stop driving for several months after having a seizure (the exact time will depend on your circumstances; your doctor will let you know). Certain occupations have strict rules with regards to epilepsy, for example, people using heavy machinery, pilots, and truck drivers.
Women of child-bearing age should discuss pregnancy planning with their doctor as early as possible, as some antiseizure medication is associated with birth defects.
Some of the Epilepsy research we have funded
2025 – Dr Parveen Sagar – Making Epilepsy Surgery Safer for Speech and Communication
2023 – Dr Emma Foster – PLASMA Study: Understanding and improving antiseizure medication management.
2022 – Dr Alexander Bryson – Testing antiseizure drugs with mini-brains.
2021 – Dr Hannah Leeson – Modelling cortical dysplasia in epilepsy patients.
2019 – Dr Emma Foster – Optimisation of first seizure management.
2018 – Dr Joshua Laing – The Development And Management Of Post-Traumatic Epilepsy.
2018 – Dr Lisa Gillinder – Defining The Clinical Features Of Antibody Associated Epilepsy.
2018 – Professor Vaughan Macefield – How The Brain Controls The Heart And Blood Vessels In Epilepsy.
Further Information
Click here for the latest Australian research papers on Epilepsy.
Epilepsy Action Australia
Postal address: GPO Box 9878, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 1300 37 45 37
epilepsy@epilepsy.org.au
epilepsy.org.au
Epilepsy Foundation
587 Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills VIC 3127
Ph: (03) 8809 0600
Fax: (03) 9836 2124
InfoLine: 1300 761 487
Email: epilepsy@epilepsyfoundation.org.au
Web: epilepsyfoundation.org.au
The National Society for Epilepsy – UK
www.epilepsysociety.org.uk
American Epilepsy Society
www.aesnet.org
Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA)
www.epilepsyfoundation.org
Updated by Dr Emma Foster, Monash University and Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia (October 21st, 2025).
Original webpage reviewed by Professor John Willoughby, Flinders University and Medical Centre, South Australia
DISCLAIMER: The information provided is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient / site visitor and his / her existing health care professionals.
The Brain Foundation is dedicated to funding the next generation of Australian research into brain disorders, diseases, and injuries, with the ultimate goal of advancing diagnoses, treatments, and patient outcomes.