Not Just Seizures: The Epilepsy Signs That Are Easy to Miss in Older Age

Epilepsy is not just a childhood disease; the rate of diagnoses among adults, especially over 60, is rising. Feelings like hot flashes, nausea, or sudden confusion can be warning signs, but are sometimes mistakenly attributed to menopause. New research links late-onset epilepsy to cardiovascular problems.

Epilepsy is not just a childhood disease, and the rate of diagnoses among adults, especially over 60, is rising. Experts warn that strange physical sensations like hot flashes, nausea, or sudden confusion can be warning signs, but are often mistakenly attributed to menopause or stress. The story of Claire Bernard, 45, who experienced similar symptoms for 18 months before being diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy, illustrates the problem. A new study in JAMA Neurology found a link between developing epilepsy in older age and cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and stroke. The article calls not to ignore unusual sensations and to seek medical advice.