These seizures stem from excessive electrical discharges in the brain, a kind of “neuronal storm” that, in severe cases, can disrupt breathing and cause sudden death. A more common risk is injury—sometimes even bone fractures—from falls during seizures.

While anti-seizure medications are the first line of treatment, they don’t work for about one-third of people living with epilepsy. Surgery to remove the area of the brain responsible for seizures has proven effective in a limited number of cases. For others, seizures persist despite all available treatments.