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Article: Epilepsy
- Article from:
- World of Forensic Science
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Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, usually characterized by either recurrent or sporadic seizures. Epilepsy presents a particular challenge for forensic scientists because sudden, unexplained death may occur in people with epilepsy, and up to 30% of individuals with epilepsy have no demonstrable
cause of death
at the time of
autopsy
.
Known as both sudden unexplained death syndrome (SUDS) and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), the condition is often under-recognized. Deaths are sometimes attributed to other causes in people with epilepsy, such as drowning, when in fact, a seizure precipitated events leading to death. One study conducted in Australia in 2003 ...