Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. Epilepsy is a disorder with many possible causes. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity - from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development - can lead to seizures. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters, or some combination of these factors. Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy. *EEGs and brain scans are common diagnostic test for epilepsy.

Once epilepsy is diagnosed, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. For about 80 percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques. Some antiepileptic drugs can interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. In 1997, the FDA approved the vagus nerve stimulator for use in people with seizures that are not well-controlled by medication.

Scientists are studying potential antiepileptic drugs with goal of enhancing treatment for epilepsy. Scientists continue to study how neurotransmitters interact with brain cells to control nerve wiring and how non-neuronal cells in the brain contribute to seizures. One of the most-studied neurotransmitters is *GABA, or gamma-aminobutryic acid. Researchers are working to identify genes that may influence epilepsy. This information may allow doctors to prevent epilepsy or to predict which treatments will be most beneficial. Doctors are now experimenting with several new types of therapies for epilepsy, including transplanting fetal pig neurons into the brains of patients to learn whether cell transplants can help control seizures, transplanting stem cells, and using a device that could predict seizures up to 3 minutes before they begin. Researchers are continually improving MRI and other brain scans. Studies have show that in some case, children may experience fewer seizures if they maintain a strict diet - called the ketogenic diet - rich in fats and low in carbohydrates.

*EEGs - electroencephalograms - электроэнцефалограммы;

*GABA - gamma-aminobutryic acid - гамма – аминомасляная кислота;

* MRL – magnetic resonance imaging – магнито – резонансное изображение

Exercise 10. Answer the following questions.

1. What is damaged in Epilepsy?

2. Clusters of what cells in the brain signal are abnormally?

3. What problems may occur in epilepsy, when the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed?

4. When may pilepsy develop?

5. When does epilepsy occur a patient?

6. What are the most common diagnostic tests for epilepsy?

7. What new types of therapies for epilepsy are being experimented now?

8. What device can predict seizures in Epilepsy?

9. When may children experience fewer seizures?

10. How do we call a diet – rich in fats and low in carbohydrates?

Exercise 11. Put questions to the underlined members or parts of sentences.

1. Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally.

2. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

3. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity - from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development - can lead to seizures.

4. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters, or some combination of these factors.

5. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy.

6. For about 80 percent of patients diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques.

7. Some antiepileptic drugs can interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

8. Scientists are studying potential antiepileptic drugs with goal of enhancing treatment for epilepsy.

9. Scientists continue to study how neurotransmitters interact with brain cells to control nerve firing and how non-neuronal cells in the brain contribute to seizures.

10. Studies have show that in some case, children may experience fewer seizures if they maintain a strict diet - called the ketogenic diet - rich in fats and low in carbohydrates.

Exercise 12. Make up sentences according to the text.

1. Epilepsy, possible, with, disorder, is, many, a, causes.

2. Is, as, to, epilepsy, begin, as, once, diagnosed, is, treatment, soon, important, it, possible.

3. Are, identify, researchers, to, that, working, epilepsy, genes, influence, may.

4. Seizures, cause, not, most, brain, do, damage.

5. Contraceptives, drugs, with, interfere, some, can, effectiveness, the, antiepileptic, of, oral.

Exercise 13. Insert the prepositions and adverbs where it is necessary.

1. Epilepsy is a brain disorder … which clusters … nerve cells, or neurons, … the brain sometimes signal abnormally.

2. *EEGs and brain scans are common diagnostic test … epilepsy.

3. … about 80 percent … those diagnosed … epilepsy, seizures can be controlled … modern medicines and surgical techniques.

4. Most people … epilepsy lead … normal lives.

5. Researchers are … improving MRI and other brain scans.

Exercise 14. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words given below:

1. … a disorder of the brain function characterized by recurrent seizures that have a sudden onset.

2. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes …, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

3. Epilepsy may develop because of … in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters, or some combination of these factors.

4. Having … does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy

5. … are common diagnostic test for epilepsy.

6. Once epilepsy…, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible.

(*EEGs and brain scans; disturbed; a seizure; Epilepsy; an abnormality; is diagnosed).

Exercise 15. Translate into English, using active vocabulary:

1. Эпилепсия - это нарушение функции мозга, характеризующееся повторными приступами с внезапным началом.

2. При эпилепсии, когда нормальная структура нейронной активности нарушается, провоцируются незнакомые восприятия, эмоции, поведение, иногда конвульсии, мышечные спазмы, а также потеря сознания.

3. Всё то, что может нарушить нормальную структуру нейронной активности – от заболевания до повреждения мозга – может привести к эпилептическому приступу.

4. Только тогда, когда у пациента случалось два и более эпилептических припадка, можно полагать, что у пациента – эпилепсия.

5. Наиболее частыми диагностическими тестами при эпилепсии считаются электроэнцефалограммы и сканограммы головного мозга.

6. Как только устанавливается диагноз эпилепсии, необходимо как можно скорее начать лечение.

7. Большинство женщин с эпилепсией могут забеременеть, но при этом, они должны обсудить своё заболевание и сообщить о медикаментозном лечении, которое они принимают, со своим врачом.

8. Исследователи работают над тем, чтобы идентифицировать гены, которые могут влиять на эпилепсию.

9. Сейчас доктора экспериментируют с несколькими новыми типами лечения эпилепсии, включая трансплантацию эмбриональных нейроны свиней в мозг человека, трансплантацию стволовых клеток, а также использование устройства, которое сможет предупредить припадки за 3 минуты до их начала.

10. Известно, что при соблюдении строгой диеты, которая содержит большое количество жиров, но малое количество углеводов, можно избежать частых приступов эпилепсии.

Exercise 16. Give the summary of the text, according to the following questions.

What is Epilepsy?

Is there any treatment?

What research is being done?

TEST:

1. Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which…, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally.

a. clots of nerve cells

b. clusters of nerve cells

c. fascicles of nerve cells

d. bundle of nerve cells

e. plexus of nerve cells

2. …epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

a. At

b. On

c. In

d. Upon

e. Before

3. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity - from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development -….

a. can be lead to seizures

b. can leads to seizures

c. could lead to seizures

d. can lead to seizures

e. can to lead to seizures

4. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called…, or some combination of these factors.

a. neuroblasts

b. neurocytons

c. neurotachometers

d. neuroviruses

e. neurotransmitters

5. Only when a person …two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy.

a. has had

b. have had

c. had had

d. have been

e. have been had

6. …of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques.

a. For about 80 percent

b. For about 70 percent

c. For about 60 percent

d. For about 50 percent

e. For about 40 percent

7. …, the FDA approved the vagus nerve stimulator for use in people with seizures that are not well-controlled by medication.

a. In 1907

b. In 1987

c. In 1997

d. In 1917

e. In 1897

8. This information … epilepsy or to predict which treatments will be most beneficial.

a. may allow doctors to prevent

b. may allow doctors to prompt

c. may be allowed doctors to prevent

d. may be allow doctors to prevent

e. may allow doctors to prevent

9. Doctors are now experimenting with several new types of therapies for epilepsy, including transplanting fetal pig neurons into the brains of patients to learn whether cell transplants can help control seizures, transplanting stem cells, and using a device that could predict seizures….

a. up to 3 minutes after they begin

b. up to 3 minutes before they begin

c. up to 3 minutes before they complete

d. up to 23 minutes before they begin

e. to three minutes after they finish

10. Studies have show that in some case, children may experience fewer seizures if they maintain a strict diet - called … - rich in fats and low in carbohydrates.

a. the bland diet

b. the gluten-free diet

c. the sodium-restricted diet

d. the ketogenic diet

e. the unmeasured diet

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