Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic
Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of
Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational
background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the
University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North
Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology
at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship
training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. An
epileptic seizure is a sudden and transient occurrence of signs
and/or symptoms that are the result of an abnormal activity of
the brain. Epileptic seizures are the common and defining
component of the disorder that is referred to as epilepsy. The
diagnosis of epilepsy implies that there is an abnormality in
the brain and that this abnormality will result in more
epileptic seizures. That is, an individual that has an isolated
seizure as a result of an acute transient insult to the brain,
for example a metabolic disorder,