Towards identifying a potentially causal gene for hot water epilepsy

Abstract

"Epilepsy is a chronic and non-communicable disorder of the brain. It is not a single disorder but a group of about 40 different neurological conditions. The most common type of epilepsy in adults is temporal lobe epilepsy and it usually follows a traumatic brain injury, although it can even be genetic (Goldberg and Coulter, 2013). According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder in the world. It usually affects adolescents or older people and is rarely seen in adults. Epilepsy is known to affect 3-40 people per 1000 worldwide. It is estimated that 60 million people in the world are living with epilepsy, 85% of which live in developing countries, and it accounts for about 45,000 deaths each year. However, for 80% of the patients diagnosed with epilepsy, the symptoms can be effectively controlled with the available medication. For the remaining 20%, surgical methods might be helpful."