RT Journal
A1 Hildreth CJ, Lynm C, Golub RM
T1 EPilepsy surgery
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2012
FD March 7
VO 307
IS 9
SP 985
OP 985
DO 10.1001/jama.2012.183
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.183
AB 
Epilepsy is a disorder of brain function that causes recurrent seizures . Seizures are due to abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain that can affect consciousness, movement, vision, behavior, or speech. Individuals with epilepsy are usually treated by a neurologist  (physician specializing in brain and nervous system disorders) who often prescribes medications to control the seizures. Sometimes several different medications need to be tried alone or in combination in order to control seizures. If the seizures are not controlled with 2 antiseizure drugs, the seizures are considered intractable  (persisting despite treatment) and surgery should be considered. Surgery is most often successful for people who have a specific area of the brain identified as the focus or origin of their seizures. The March 7, 2012, issue of JAMA includes 2 articles about surgical treatment of intractable seizures. This Patient Page is based on one previously published in the December 8, 2008, issue of JAMA.