In 1997, an unusual event occurred in Japan after the broadcast of a movie about Pokemon. The fragment, which lasted a few seconds, caused about 700 cases of seizures. For 76 percent of the patients hospitalized at that time, it was the first such attack in his life. How did it come about? The epileptologist, prof. extra dr hab. n. med. Beata Majkowska-Zwolińska.
- Expert: There are two highs of disease. The first – in young children, the second – in people over 65 years of age
- The movie clip that triggered a wave of epileptic seizures in Japan showed the launch of a spacecraft. In that situation, a very strong stimulus was triggered on the mass scale, namely flashes of light with a certain frequency and a quick change of colors – blue and red
- Epileptologist: Remember that the patient between seizures is just as human as we are
- You can find more such stories on the Onet homepage.
The first part of the conversation with prof. You can read Beata Majkowska-Zwolińska HERE
Monika Mikołajska / Medonet: When is the risk of epilepsy the highest, which groups are the most exposed to it?
Prof. extra dr hab. n. med. Beata Majkowska-Zwolińska, epileptologist: We can distinguish between two disease peaks. The first – in young children, the second – in people over 65 years of age. The greatest increase in disease among seniors is due to the fact that we live longer, which is also associated with the existence of other diseases. Against their background, epileptic seizures can develop. This is the case, inter alia, after stroke and in the course of Alzheimer’s disease. It is worth noting that middle-aged adults are the least likely to experience the first epileptic seizure in their lives.
We already know that epilepsy is a heterogeneous disease, and this also applies to its causes. However, is it possible to identify the most common ones?
It can be said that the causes of epilepsy depend on the age of the patient. They are slightly different in childhood and in adulthood. In young children, epilepsy may be caused by an inherited, genetically determined, metabolic disease. At any age, epilepsy can be caused by trauma or a brain tumor. The causes include also cerebral vascular diseases – cerebral hemangiomas or the already mentioned stroke and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Generalized seizures may also occur in people who abuse alcohol. However, this is not epilepsy as such, we are talking about alcohol withdrawal seizures. Such situations may contribute to building a negative image of the disease. Some people who see a seizure of epilepsy may think that the sick person is under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Patients themselves who have experienced a seizure in a public place and who have been called for an ambulance often complain about this. First, rescuers check that the patient is not under the influence of intoxicants.
How can you explain what happened in Japan in 1997? A mere four-second sequence in the Pokemon movie that aired on TV at the time resulted in about 700 cases of epilepsy. For 76 percent of the patients hospitalized at that time, it was the first such attack in his life.
Yes, it was widely commented on. The movie fragment that triggered these events showed the launch of the spacecraft. In that situation, a very strong stimulus was triggered on the mass scale, namely flashes of light with a certain frequency and a quick change of colors – blue and red. In people with the so-called photosensitivity conditions could trigger the first seizure in their lives, and in people with epilepsy and greater sensitivity to light, the symptoms of the disease could worsen.
Currently, a certain frequency of light flashes is forbidden in movies or cartoons.
Remember that a single seizure does not have to mean that someone has or will have epilepsy. In this situation, we are talking about a seizure, not a disease. Because epilepsy is a disease in which seizures repeat themselves.
As we said at the beginning, many people panic when they see an epilepsy attack, not knowing what they can do or help. How should we behave in such a situation, what absolutely not to do?
The biggest concern is generalized seizures, and that is what I will refer to. First, let’s stay calm. The second important rule is simply to assist the sick person. First of all, let’s protect him so that he does not injure his head or limbs during convulsions. Let’s put something soft under his head. We can also, for example, loosen the tie, arrange it in the so-called safe lateral position. We absolutely do not put anything in his mouth, and do not try to open them. We should also remember that after an attack, the return to consciousness is not immediate and may take several or several minutes. Leaving such a person, we must be sure that he is logically responsible and, therefore, that he no longer needs our help.
- First aid. How to give it? [WE EXPLAIN]
It is not complicated, but it can be a milestone in social disenchantment and familiarization with epilepsy. Epilepsy is one of the oldest diseases known to us, once associated with supernatural forces and today is not free from myths. Some we touched upon in our conversation today …
The attitude of society has a great influence on a patient with epilepsy. Myths, all kinds of prejudices, our distance – give rise to and increase the feeling of exclusion and stigmatization in him. We must be aware that the epilepsy and seizures that the person experiences do not define this person. Remember that he is just as human as we are between seizures. Knowing more about epilepsy and knowing how we can help during an attack will help get rid of the myths that have grown up around the disease over the centuries. Then we will start treating epilepsy like any other chronic disease. There is a big improvement in this regard, but as a society we still have a lot to do.
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