People experience fits, medically known as seizures, primarily because anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. These interruptions disrupt the brain's usual electrical activity, leading to a temporary and uncontrolled burst of electrical signals.
Understanding the Causes of Fits (Seizures)
The brain operates through intricate electrical signals between its nerve cells. When this delicate balance is disturbed, it can manifest as a fit or seizure.
Common Temporary Triggers
Several factors can temporarily disrupt brain function and induce a seizure. These conditions are not necessarily indicative of a chronic neurological disorder but can cause isolated episodes.
| Cause | Description |
|---|---|
| High Fever | Particularly in children, a sudden spike in body temperature can lead to febrile seizures, which are usually benign. |
| High or Low Blood Sugar | Imbalances in glucose levels (e.g., in diabetes) can deprive the brain of necessary energy or overwhelm it, affecting nerve cell function. |
| Alcohol or Drug Withdrawal | When a person dependent on certain substances suddenly stops using them, the brain's chemistry reacts, often leading to seizures during the withdrawal period. |
| Brain Concussion | A type of traumatic brain injury that can cause immediate disruption to brain function or lead to seizures shortly after the injury. |
Epilepsy: A Chronic Condition
While the above are acute triggers for isolated fits, a more persistent cause is epilepsy. Epilepsy is diagnosed when a person experiences 2 or more seizures with no known cause attributable to temporary factors like those listed above. In such cases, the brain has an ongoing predisposition to generate seizures, often due to underlying neurological differences or damage that makes its nerve cells prone to abnormal electrical activity.
In essence, fits occur when the brain's highly organized electrical communication system is temporarily or chronically disrupted, leading to an uncontrolled cascade of nerve cell firings.
