Understanding Epilepsy: UPMC Specialist Explains Causes, Diagnosis, and Daily Impact
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Asia Tabb
AIRED; November 26, 2025
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Epilepsy affects every part of a person’s life, says Dr. Natasha Qutab, an epileptologist with the UPMC Neurological Institute. “Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain and it involves abnormal electrical activity,” she explained, but the condition goes far beyond the neurological symptoms. Qutab, who entered the field after watching her sister struggle with epilepsy, says the impact reaches far beyond the clinic. “It affects your social life, your emotional life, your physical life, your job… every single aspect of your life can be affected.”
Qutab shared the story of one young patient whose life dramatically changed after a seizure at work. The woman, once “very active, very intelligent,” experienced a generalized tonic-clonic seizure—commonly known as a grand mal seizure—that left her unable to drive and too embarrassed to return to her workplace. “She quit her job. She had severe depression… a person who was so full of life was so shriveled,” Qutab said. But she stressed that epilepsy does not define everyone’s future: many patients, once properly treated, “are doctors, engineers, CEOs… people living successful, productive lives.”
Diagnosing epilepsy begins with understanding the event itself. Qutab says it’s a clinical diagnosis grounded in patient history and witness accounts. “What walks like a duck, quacks like a duck is a duck,” she often tells patients. MRI scans and EEG tests help determine whether abnormal brain activity or structural issues are present. Still, having a seizure doesn’t automatically mean someone has epilepsy. “A seizure without any underlying cause… plus an abnormal MRI or EEG can qualify,” she said, noting that seizures triggered by fever, alcohol withdrawal, low sodium, or other acute conditions do not meet criteria.
Epilepsy can arise from genetic factors, brain injuries, strokes, tumors, or conditions like Alzheimer’s—but sometimes no cause is ever found. Qutab emphasizes that epilepsy can affect anyone. “Kids can have epilepsy. Older people can have epilepsy. Anybody can have epilepsy,” she said. But with early diagnosis and proper treatment, many patients can regain control of their lives.
