Despite their growing popularity, electric shocks may
not be good for epileptics.
Electric shocks are known to
impose order among the
neurons, or nerve cells, but
scientists at the George
Washington University,
Washington Dc, and the
Georgia Institute of Technology at Athens, Georgia, suggest that an abnormal degree
of order among such cells,
instead of their natural state
of chaos, is what probably
causes epileptic spasms.
The scientists found that
during chemically induced
seizures in rats, nerve cells
fire erratically but in
unison, a phenomenon
called "chanting". The scientists believe that seizures
could be avoided by implanting tiny electrodes in the
brain to disrupt neuronal
chanting". But further animal tests are needed before
such treatment is tried out.
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