Forty thousand people in Scotland have epilepsy. This is one in 130 people. It is the most common serious brain (neurological) condition. Anyone can develop epilepsy at any age. However, it is most common in childhood, the teenage years and later life.
Epilepsy is described as a tendency to have recurrent seizures which start in the brain. Seizures used to be known as ‘fits’. They are caused by disturbances in the brain’s normal activity. Some people may have one or two seizures during their life. These could be due to a high temperature or a head injury. It does not necessarily mean they have epilepsy.