Definition of epilepsy and epilepsy syndrome Epilepsy is a group of syndromes caused by highly synchronized, often self-limiting abnormal discharges of neurons in the brain of known or unknown etiology, characterized by recurrent, transient, and often stereotyped central nervous system malfunctions. Due to the location of the abnormally discharged neurons and the extent of the discharges, the patient’s seizures may be characterized by sensory, motor, consciousness, mental, behavioral, autonomic dysfunction or both. Each seizure becomes an epileptiform seizure, and the chronic neurological condition caused by repeated seizures is called epilepsy. In epilepsy, a specific epileptic phenomenon with a specific etiology and consisting of specific signs and symptoms is called an epileptic syndrome. Why do seizures occur The pathogenesis of epilepsy is a very complex issue. It involves various factors such as ion channels, neurotransmitters, immune, biochemical and genetic factors. Simply put, our brain is like a computer with a huge network of nerve cells made up of many cells called neurons. In our daily life, tens of thousands of electrical signals are ignited by these cells, controlling how we think, feel and everything we do. Under normal circumstances, our organism has its own built-in balancing devices that ensure that electrical signals follow a certain path to accomplish our various activities. When these balancing devices are suddenly disrupted without any warning, the normal path of electrical signals is disturbed and the ignition of neurons is accelerated compared to normal, and a sudden burst of discharge may occur, triggering an epileptic seizure. The seizure usually lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes, and then the brain cells return to their normal state.